The circuits of healthcare: Understanding healthcare seeking behaviour-A qualitative study with tuberculosis patients in Lisbon, Portugal.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Understanding health delivery service from a patient´s perspective, including factors influencing healthcare seeking behaviour, is crucial when treating diseases, particularly infectious ones, like tuberculosis. This study aims to trace and contextualise the trajectories patients pursued towards diagnosis and treatment, while discussing key factors associated with treatment delays. Tuberculosis patients' pathways may serve as indicator of the difficulties the more vulnerable sections of society experience in obtaining adequate care.

Methods

We conducted 27 semi-structured interviews with tuberculosis patients attending a treatment centre in a suburban area of Lisbon. We invited nationals and migrant patients in active treatment to participate by sharing their illn

SUBMITTER: Ribeiro RM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8714083 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature