Diagnostic delay and associated factors among patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Tanzania is among the 30 countries with the highest tuberculosis (TB) burdens. Because TB has a long infectious period, early diagnosis is not only important for reducing transmission, but also for improving treatment outcomes. We assessed diagnostic delay and associated factors among infectious TB patients.

Methods

We interviewed new smear-positive adult pulmonary TB patients enrolled in an ongoing TB cohort study in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, between November 2013 and June 2015. TB patients were interviewed to collect information on socio-demographics, socio-economic status, health-seeking behaviour, and residential geocodes. We categorized diagnostic delay into ≤ 3 or > 3 weeks. We used logistic regression models to identify risk factors for diagnostic delay, pre

SUBMITTER: Said K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5364704 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature