Delay in Healthcare Seeking for Treatment Amongst Patients With Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Enugu, South-East Nigeria.

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the nature and degree of delay existing in care seeking for treatment amongst patients with pulmonary tuberculosis PTB.
Materials and methods: Information was obtained from one hundred and twenty consecutively recruited patients attending for treatment at the chest unit of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu, Nigeria using a semi structured questionnaire.
Results: Mean age of respondents was 33.2 years±13.6. Treatment sources first visited by the respondents were mostly the patent medicine vendors (PMVs) (40.0%). Perceived non seriousness of illness was the commonest reason for choice of place of initial visit. Mean total delay was 11.3 weeks, mean patient delay was 6.4 weeks and mean health service delay was 4.9weeks. Only 28 (23.3%) of the respondents presented to a recognized (modern) health care facility within three weeks of onset of symptoms. A higher percentage of those who first went to a patent medicine vendor or traditional/spiritual house had delay than those who first went to a private clinic or government facility p< 0.05. Correct knowledge of cause of tuberculosis resulted in early presentation to a health facility.
Conclusion: There is still considerable delay in assessing care by TB patients in Nigeria. Early health care seeking, effective and early referral may be improved by integrating private practitioners and PMVs in control programmes and improved community health education on cause of TB.


Keywords: Health-seeking Behaviour, Tuberculosis, Delay.

Journal of College of Medicine Vol. 13 (2) 2008: pp. 91-95