Delayed diagnosis of active pulmonary tuberculosis - potential risk factors for patient and healthcare delays in Portugal.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Early diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is essential for an effective control of the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic. Delayed diagnosis and treatment of TB increases the chance of complications and mortality for the patients, and enhances TB transmission in the population. Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterize patient, healthcare and total delay in diagnosing PTB and assess the effect of clinical and sociodemographic factors on the time until first contact with healthcare or reaching a PTB diagnosis.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study that included active PTB patients notified in the National Tuberculosis Surveillance System (SVIG-TB), between 2008 and 2017. Descriptive statistics, Kaplan-Meier estimates, logrank test and Cox propor

SUBMITTER: Santos JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8627051 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature