Delay in Diagnosis of Tuberculosis in Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Author Information
Author(s): Saqib Muhammad Awan, Irum N Awan, Syed KA Rizvi, Mirza I Shahzad, Zahid S Mirza, Sabira Tahseen, Imran H Khan, Azra Khanum
Primary Institution: Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi
Hypothesis
What factors contribute to the delay in diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis among patients in Rawalpindi?
Conclusion
Cough and fever are often overlooked as symptoms of TB, leading to significant delays in diagnosis and treatment.
Supporting Evidence
- A median delay of 56 days was observed in the diagnosis of TB.
- More than 50% of patients had a history of contact with previously diagnosed TB patients.
- Only 35% of patients were investigated for TB diagnosis within three weeks of symptom onset.
Takeaway
When people have a cough or fever, they might not think it's tuberculosis, which can make them wait a long time to get help.
Methodology
Interviews were conducted with 252 sputum smear positive TB patients to assess their health-seeking behavior and diagnostic delays.
Potential Biases
Patients may have misremembered symptoms or delays, affecting the accuracy of the data.
Limitations
The study only included patients from one TB center and relied on patients' memory for symptom duration.
Participant Demographics
The sample included 49.6% males and 50.4% females, with a median age of 25 for males and 24 for females.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.01
Confidence Interval
1.0-1.3
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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