Factors associated with delay in seeking care by tuberculosis patients

• Autor(a) principal: Dantas,Dândara Nayara Azevêdo
• Data de Publicação: 2018
• Outros Autores: Enders,Bertha Cruz, Oliveira,Déborah Raquel Carvalho de, Vieira,Caroline Evelin Nascimento Kluczynic, Queiroz,Ana Angélica Rêgo de, Arcêncio,Ricardo Alexandre
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem (Online)
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-71672018000700646
• topic: Tuberculosis; Delayed Diagnosis; Self Medication; Health Services; Patient Acceptance of Health Care

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify social, clinical and behavioral factors of tuberculosis patients that are associated with delay in the search for primary health care. Method: This is a cross-sectional, quantitative study conducted with 56 people on treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis in the city of Natal, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The data were collected through a structured instrument. The Chi-square and Fisher tests were applied to test the association between independent and dependent variables (search time). A value of p <0.05 was set as statistically significant. Results: No social or clinical variables were statistically associated with patient delays in the search for primary health care. Among the behavioral variables, self-medication and the first health service sought had a statistically significant association with the time for seeking care (p = 0.020, and p = 0.033, respectively). Conclusion: Self-medication contributes to the delay in the search for primary health care by tuberculosis patients.