A study of reasons for delay in diagnosis of tuberculosis amongst newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis patients

 

Anil Maske¹, Sadanand Kamble^2*, S V Birajdar³

 

 

Abstract              Background:  Tuberculosis (TB) is a major infectious killer especially in developing country like India because of its peculiar socio-economic and demographic diversity. The delay in diagnosis poses a greater increase in morbidity and mortality leading to further complicating the TB situation in our country. Aims and objectives: To study reasons for delay in diagnosis of tuberculosis amongst newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis patients. Methodology: A cross sectional, descriptive study of sputum smear positive 100 patients, who were interviewed by using a predesigned questionnaire. The data obtained is then statistically analysed. Results: The significant risk factors independently associated with patient delay were: age >60 years (p<0.05), female sex (p<0.05), illiteracy (p<0.05), unemployment (p<0.05), place of first presentation being private health facility (p<0.05), following traditional treatment with home remedies and over the counter drugs (p<0.05) and an unsatisfactory knowledge score about tuberculosis (p<0.05). Also the significant risk factors independently associated with health system delay were: female sex (p<0.05), place of first presentation being private health facility (p<0.05), and cough being the presenting symptom (p<0.05). Conclusion: A high degree of tuberculosis among patients presenting with cough of 2 weeks duration and subjecting such patients for sputum microscopy should be a routine practice Early diagnosis and prompt initiation of anti-TB treatment is the key to success for TB disease and its control.

Key words: Diagnosis, Tuberculosis.