Factors associated with delay in seeking care by tuberculosis patients

Rev Bras Enferm. 2018;71(suppl 1):646-651. doi: 10.1590/0034-7167-2016-0680.
[Article in English, Portuguese]

Abstract

Objective: To identify social, clinical and behavioral factors of tuberculosis patients that are associated with delay in the search for primary health care.

Method: This is a cross-sectional, quantitative study conducted with 56 people on treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis in the city of Natal, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The data were collected through a structured instrument. The Chi-square and Fisher tests were applied to test the association between independent and dependent variables (search time). A value of p <0.05 was set as statistically significant.

Results: No social or clinical variables were statistically associated with patient delays in the search for primary health care. Among the behavioral variables, self-medication and the first health service sought had a statistically significant association with the time for seeking care (p = 0.020, and p = 0.033, respectively).

Conclusion: Self-medication contributes to the delay in the search for primary health care by tuberculosis patients.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brazil
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Delayed Diagnosis / psychology
  • Educational Status
  • Female
  • Help-Seeking Behavior*
  • Humans
  • Income / statistics & numerical data
  • Male
  • Mass Screening / psychology*
  • Mass Screening / trends
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care / psychology
  • Sex Factors
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Time Factors*
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / diagnosis
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / psychology*