Determinants of patient and health care services delays for tuberculosis diagnosis in Italy: a cross-sectional observational study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Prompt diagnosis of active tuberculosis (TB) has paramount importance to reduce TB morbidity and mortality and to prevent the spread of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Few studies so far have assessed the diagnostic delay of TB and its risk factors in low-incidence countries.

Methods

We present a cross-sectional multicentre observational study enrolling all consecutive patients diagnosed with TB in seven referral centres in Italy. Information on demographic and clinical characteristics, health-seeking trajectories and patients' knowledge and awareness of TB were collected. Diagnostic delay was assessed as patient-related (time between symptoms onset and presentation to care) and healthcare-related (time between presentation to care and TB diagnosis). Factors associate

SUBMITTER: Peri AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6302482 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature