Understanding Tuberculosis in Rural Indonesia: An Analysis of Contributing Factors Rastipiati(a*), Fuzi Fauziatun Nisa(b), A Asrina(c), Nita Ike Dwi Kurniasih(d)
Bhakti Husada Indonesia University
Jl. Lkr. Bayuning No. 2, Kadugede, Kadugede Subdistrict, Kuningan Regency, West Java
*rasti.mkepumy[at]gmail.com
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health problem, causing 10.6 million cases and 1.4 million deaths annually. In Indonesia, the burden is particularly severe in rural areas where limited health services, low education, and socioeconomic vulnerabilities increase susceptibility. This study examined associations between gender, age, education, smoking, and income with TB incidence among patients at community health centers in rural Indonesia. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted with 80 TB patients selected by total sampling. Data were obtained through structured questionnaires and analyzed using the Chi-square test. The majority of patients were male (72.5%), within productive age (65%), had low education (68.7%), moderate smoking behavior (53.8%), and low income (67.5%). Statistical analysis showed significant associations between TB incidence and gender (p = 0.001), age (p = 0.004), education (p < 0.001), smoking (p < 0.001), and income (p = 0.012). These findings highlight that socio-demographic and behavioral factors strongly influence TB occurrence. The results emphasize the importance of targeted health promotion, smoking cessation programs, and socioeconomic support strategies to enhance TB prevention and management in rural primary healthcare settings.
Keywords: Tuberculosis, Risk Factors, Socio-demographic Determinants, Smoking, Rural Indonesia.
