Abstract
The aim of this study is to evaluate the patients diagnosed as tuberculosis and registered to a Tuberculosis dispensary in year 2010 according to the health care units which they applied beforehand and the time period since first symptom of tuberculosis has occurred.
For this descriptive study, the questionnaires which consist of questions about enrolled tuberculosis patients' characteristics, symptoms, duration between the first symptom and diagnosis,and health care units they applied before coming to tuberculosis dispensary have been filled with face to face interviews.
Total 127 questionnaires were completed, the majority of patients were male (59.1%). Mean age was 51±20 years. The rate of lung tuberculosis was 59.1% and the rest were extrapulmonary tuberculosis. City center was declared as residency place in 54.3% of patients. By the time of tuberculosis diagnosis, 5.5% of patients have no health insurrance. The most common symptoms were cough (55%), weakness (52.8%) and night sweat (44.9%). At least one symptom has started more than one month before the diagnosis in 47.2% of patients, while in 19.7% less than one month. First application rates were found as 7.9%, 59% and 29.1% to primary, secondary and tertiary care units, respectively. The rate to be sent to another health care unit after first application was 66.1%. Tuberculosis was diagnosed mostly in university hospital (35.0%), the rate for tuberculosis dispensary was 23.6%.
A strategy targeted to improve the role and efficacy of primary care units in referral of the patients with highly suggestive symptoms to the tuberculosis dispensaries should have the priority to avoid the time lag in diagnosis.
- © 2011 ERS