title: Longer delays in tuberculosis diagnosis among women in Vietnam.
abstract: METHODS
  Study conducted in 23 randomly selected districts in four provinces of Vietnam.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe and compare health seeking behaviour between men and women and to measure delays in tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients (n = 1027) aged 15-49 years with new smear-positive pulmonary TB detected in the selected districts during 1996 were interviewed using a structured questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean total delay to TB diagnosis was 13.3 weeks (95% confidence interval [CI] 11.5, 15.1) for women and 11.4 weeks (95% CI 10.6, 12.2) for men, including a patient's delay of 7.9 weeks (95% CI 6.5, 9.3) and 7.6 weeks (95% CI 6.9, 8.3) respectively. Doctor's delay was significantly longer among women (5.4 weeks, 95% CI 4.2, 6.6) than among men (3.8 weeks, 95% CI 3.3, 4.3). Women did not start seeking care later than men, nor did they have a different health seeking pattern. Women visited more health care providers than men (1.7 and 1.5 providers, respectively, P = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patient's delay is unacceptably long for both men and women. Women do not receive a diagnosis of TB by doctors or other health care providers as quickly as men once they seek health care. The reasons for this gender difference warrant further investigations.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases, Hanoi, Vietnam.
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lönnroth
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Winkvist
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Diwan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014744:Vietnam; D016387:Women's Health