Factors influencing the health-seeking behavior of Vietnamese migrants in Japan: a cross-sectional study on knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards tuberculosis.

Background: Addressing tuberculosis (TB) among migrants from high-burden countries is important for the health of migrants and for public health in low-TB-burden countries. Therefore, approaches that enable migrants to access TB diagnostic services and care early are required. To develop TB risk communication for migrants from high-TB-burden countries, this study aimed to assess Vietnamese migrants' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) towards TB and its association with health-seeking behaviors.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among Vietnam-born migrants aged 18 years and older in two cities in Japan. A self-administered online survey consisted of questions on demographics, health-related issues and behaviors, and the KAP towards TB. Participants who would not seek healthcare even if they had TB symptoms were categorized as having "non-health-seeking behavior", and related factors were examined using multiple logistic regression analysis.

Results: A total of 230 Vietnamese migrants participated in this study. Technical intern trainees (46.1%) and workers (28.7%) comprised the majority of the participants. Overall, 73.9% believed that persons infected with TB were infectious, and 46.1% reported concerns about being diagnosed with TB. Their concerns included maintaining employment and continuing schooling during treatment. Ten percent of the participants stated that they would not consult a doctor even if they developed TB symptoms. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that participants who believed that TB could not be cured were significantly more likely to exhibit non-health-seeking behavior (adjusted odds ratio: 3.12, 95% confidence interval 1.14-8.52) compared to those who believed TB could be cured.

Conclusions: Tailored TB risk communication should address migrants' misconceptions and concerns regarding TB in the host countries. Further efforts are needed to improve TB knowledge through TB education and to disseminate information before and after migration. Creating a supportive environment, such as language assistance and work- and school-related social support, is also needed to facilitate the early detection of TB and healthcare access among migrants.