SETTING: Nationwide tuberculosis (TB) registry in Japan, 1987-2002. OBJECTIVE: To clarify the trends of patient's delay (PD), doctor's delay (DD) and total delay (TD), their relation and factors associated with the delays. DESIGN: Longitudinal study on trends in delays. Among patients with symptomatic smear-positive pulmonary TB, those with long PD (> or =2 months), DD (> or =1 month) and TD (> or =3 months) were analysed. RESULTS: Long PD rates increased until around 1997, whereas long DD rates decreased markedly from 1995 to 1999. Long TD rates increased until 1997, and decreased slightly thereafter. Men aged 30-59 years had higher rates of long PD, and the long PD rates increased through the 16-year observation period. Day labourers receiving or applying for welfare benefit had the highest rate of long TD, 46.5% during 1995-2002. Teachers and medical doctors showed the greatest increase in long TD rates through the period. CONCLUSION: Long TD was influenced more by PD than DD, and showed an upward trend. However, the long TD rate has declined slightly owing to the recent reduction in long DD. The reduction in DD since 1995 occurred immediately after the introduction of new technology in bacteriological examinations.
SETTING: Nationwide tuberculosis (TB) registry in Japan, 1987-2002. OBJECTIVE: To clarify the trends of patient's delay (PD), doctor's delay (DD) and total delay (TD), their relation and factors associated with the delays. DESIGN: Longitudinal study on trends in delays. Among patients with symptomatic smear-positive pulmonary TB, those with long PD (> or =2 months), DD (> or =1 month) and TD (> or =3 months) were analysed. RESULTS: Long PD rates increased until around 1997, whereas long DD rates decreased markedly from 1995 to 1999. Long TD rates increased until 1997, and decreased slightly thereafter. Men aged 30-59 years had higher rates of long PD, and the long PD rates increased through the 16-year observation period. Day labourers receiving or applying for welfare benefit had the highest rate of long TD, 46.5% during 1995-2002. Teachers and medical doctors showed the greatest increase in long TD rates through the period. CONCLUSION: Long TD was influenced more by PD than DD, and showed an upward trend. However, the long TD rate has declined slightly owing to the recent reduction in long DD. The reduction in DD since 1995 occurred immediately after the introduction of new technology in bacteriological examinations.
Authors: Nguyen T Huong; Marleen Vree; Bui D Duong; Vu T Khanh; Vu T Loan; Nguyen V Co; Martien W Borgdorff; Frank G Cobelens Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2007-06-13 Impact factor: 3.295