title: Patterns of delays in diagnosis amongst patients with smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis at a teaching hospital in Turkey.
abstract: In total, 151 newly diagnosed patients with smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis were studied. The mean time from the onset of symptoms to the first visit to a physician was 46.4 days; the mean referral delay was 28.9 days; the mean delay in diagnosis was 2.4 days; and the mean delay in treatment initiation was 0.8 days. There was a delay in consulting a physician by 49% of patients. A low index of suspicion for tuberculosis on the part of the physician and healthcare system and laboratory delays were the most common reasons for delays in diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Heybeliada Center for Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Okur
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saygi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Selvi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Süngün
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oztürk
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dabak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents