OTHER-16 DIAGNOSTIC INTERVALS IN BRAIN TUMORS IN IBADAN

Abstract

Abstract INTRODUCTION The patients’ pathway to a specialist, which impacts on timing of presentation, varies with each healthcare system. This study aims to outline the intervals in the diagnostic pathway of patients with brain tumors and to evaluate the effect of socio-demographic characteristics on these intervals. MATERIALS AND METHODS This cross-sectional study was carried out at the University College Hospital, Ibadan. It involved all consenting adults ≥18years with a new radiological diagnosis of brain tumors. The demographic characteristics, the symptom interval (SI), referral interval (RI), the symptom detection to specialist clinic interval (SCI), clinical features were noted. Descriptive statistics were presented and Chi-square test was used for analysis at p <0.05. RESULTS There were 159 participants with a mean age of 47.7±13.8 years. The M:F was 1:1.3. 117 (73.6%) completed post secondary education. The median SCI, SI and RI were 730 (210 – 1825) days, 60 (2-365) days and 120 (14-730) days respectively. No socio-demographic characteristics were associated with SCI and SI, but more patients with >3 children had RI within 120 days. Patients with speech impairment tend to have shorter SCI <730days and RI <120days (p=0.01), while patients with hearing impairment have longer SI >60days (p=0.01), and patients with convulsion tend to have a longer RI of ≤4-months (p<0.001). Longer SI and RI resulted in longer SCI (≥730days). However, only about 25% of shorter SI and RI respectively led to shorter SCI (p<0.001). CONCLUSION All the diagnostic intervals were long across the socio-demography, only shortened in patients with focal deficits. Multipronged approaches focused particularly on the education of the population, physicians and other healthcare workers will be key to shortening these intervals and improving outcomes.