RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To study tuberculosis related knowledge among the floating population who work in service enterprises in Changning District, Shanghai. METHODS: A self-completed questionnaire interview was conducted in Nov. 2003 among 274 floating persons who were recruited through cluster sampling in Changning District (male 113, female 161). RESULTS: It was found that the floating population had some knowledge of tuberculosis, however, the weighted marks were not high. 34.7% of the study subjects responded correctly to more than 60% of the knowledge questions, and therefore were considered to have an adequate knowledge of tuberculosis. Through logistic regression, education level and marriage status were found to be correlated with the mean weighted marks of knowledge of tuberculosis (chi(2) = 19.650, P < 0.01; chi(2) = 4.059, P < 0.05). It was also found that education level was associated with the ways of obtaining knowledge (chi(2) = 6.87, < 0.01). As to the expected ways of receiving health education, it was correlated with education level and the work place (chi(2) = 6.74, P < 0.05; chi(2) = 17.81, < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Findings from this study reflect that it is important to provide health education on tuberculosis to the floating population in order to prevent tuberculosis infection and transmission and to improve the case detection of tuberculosis among the floating population in cities.