Diagnosis and treatment of elderly tuberculosis patients in Shandong province

ObjectiveTo learn the diagnosis and treatment of elderly tubercu losis(TB)pa tients in Shandong province and to analyze the influence factors.MethodsThe sample was randomly chosen with cluster sampling and 332 confirmed elderly TB patients were interviewed with a self-made questionnaire.ResultsAmong all patients,78.6% (261/332)had cough symptom when they hadinitial treatment; 33.7% (112/332)had their initial treatment at village clinics;45.8% (152/332)were misdiagnosed when they sought first medical treatment; 31.0% (103/332)had delayed treatment; 77.7% (258/332)got their confirmed diagnosis at TB prevention and control agency at country level; 2518% (69/332)had delayed diagnosis;91.0% (302/332)took the medicine regularly;88.0% (292/332)visited doctors regularly for examination.ConclusionThe elderly TB patients are frequently misdiagno sed at their initial treatment.Nearly half of elderly patients chose village clinics or township hospitals for their initial treatment.Most of the patients are eventually diagnosed at tubercu losis control institutions.Some of the patients have delayed treatment or diagnosis.