Patient's delay and doctor's delay in the primary treatment cases of pulmonary tuberculosis detected by subjective symptoms

Abstract

Delays in case finding were studied for the primary tuberculosis patients who were discharged from our hospital in 1987. Of 321 tuberculosis patients who were released from our hospital in 1987, 171 patients received primary treatment. Eighty one of them had been detected by their symptomatic visits. Patient's and doctor's delays tended to be longer in the cases of males than of females. For both males and females patient's delay tended to be longer in younger age group. Total delay until definite diagnosis by 50% and 80% of all diagnosed were 1.6 months, and 3.5 months respectively. Patients with total delay of more than three months were younger in age and were hospitalized longer than patients with total delay of less than 3 months. All cases with total delay of more than three months were smear positive.