Delay in TB Diagnosis Among Pastoralists in Ethiopia
Author Information
Author(s): Gele Abdi, Bjune Gunnar, Abebe Fekadu
Primary Institution: Institute of General Practice and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
Hypothesis
The study aims to measure the duration of delay among pastoralist TB patients in Ethiopia.
Conclusion
The study found that patient delay among pastoralist TB patients is extremely high, often exceeding two years, primarily due to inadequate knowledge of the disease and distance to healthcare facilities.
Supporting Evidence
- The median patient delay was 60 days, with some delays exceeding two years.
- Nomadic pastoralists experienced a median delay of 83 days compared to 57 days for agro-pastoralists.
- Distance to health facilities was a significant predictor of long patient delay.
Takeaway
People living in pastoralist communities in Ethiopia take a long time to get diagnosed with tuberculosis, often because they don't know much about the disease and have to travel far to see a doctor.
Methodology
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 226 TB patients using questionnaire-based interviews to assess delays in diagnosis.
Potential Biases
Recall bias may affect the accuracy of reported delays.
Limitations
The study relied on self-reported data, which may introduce recall bias, and was limited to two zones in the Somali Regional State.
Participant Demographics
The study included 226 TB patients, predominantly illiterate, with a mean age of 32.2 years, and a higher proportion of agro-pastoralists compared to nomadic pastoralists.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
CI 1.47–4.91 for nomadic pastoralism; CI 1.02–3.98 for low biomedical knowledge
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website