Patient delay and relevant factors of tuberculosis diagnosis among floating and local population

ObjectiveTo analyze the distribution and risk factors of patient delay of tuberculosis diagnosis among floating and local residents.1MethodsUse simple random sampling method,4 from 23 global fund program counties were selected.All 928 pulmonary tuberculosis(TB)cases in the 4 counties were surveyed with a self-administered questionnaire.ResultsAmong all cases,595 was local patients(54.1%)and 333 was floating patients(35.9%),with the median age of 51 and 28 years.The median duration between the onset of symptom and seeing a doctor in the local and floating patients were 30 and 17 days,with the proportion of patient delay of 66.4% and 56.2%.The results of multivariate logistic regression model displayed that cough or phlegm,sputum-smear positive,visiting a doctor,counter and transferring consultation were the risk factors of patient delay among local patients,with the odds ratio(OR)value and 95%confidence interval(95%CI)of 3.0 (1.6-5.6),1.7 (1.0-2.9),7.6 (2.7-21.0),and 9.0 (3.1-26.2)and hemoptysis was a protect factor(OR=0.4,95%CI:0.2-0.9).Cough or phlegm,sputum smear positive,visiting a doctor,and transferring consultation were the risk factors among floating patients,with the OR and 95%CI of 2.3 (1.4-3.7),1.9 (1.3-2.8),3.8 (1.8-8.0),and 5.6 (2.5-12.3),respectively.ConclusionThe major cause of the patient delay is lack of vigilant attention to TB symptom both in floating and the local patients and relevant measures need to be taken to improve the situation of patient delay.