A long delay from the first symptom to definite diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.
BACKGROUND
Despite the recent advances in medicine, still many people suffer from long-standing tuberculosis. Delay in the diagnosis may result in further mortality and morbidity. Because of the importance of delay in the diagnosis, we decided to study and evaluate the patient delay and physician delay.


METHODS
A descriptive analytical study was done on 97 patients referred to the National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease in Tehran from September 2002 through March 2003. Those individuals who fulfilled the inclusion criteria underwent a face to face interview. The questionnaires were filled out. The interval between the first appearance of the clinical manifestation and the first visit to the physician was calculated (patient delay). Also, the period between the patient's first visit to the physician and the final diagnosis was worked out.


RESULTS
The mean patient delay time was 15 +/- 13 days with a median of 13 days. The mean physician delay time was 93 +/- 72 days with a median of 75 days. The mean total delay time was 108 +/- 71 days with a median of 96 days.


CONCLUSIONS
The patient delay in our country is at an acceptable level compared with other countries, but our physician delay time has not been shortened during the last eight years. Improving and upgrading the mycobacteriological courses for general physicians and specialists during their academic years should be accompanied by short-term teaching courses after the graduation.
Mirsaeidi
Seyed-Mahdi
SM
Department of Pediatrics, Research Institute, Kosair Children's Hospital, University of Louisville, Louisville, USA. m0mirs01@louisville.edu
Tabarsi
Payam
P
Mohajer
Kiarash
K
Falah-Tafti
Saeid
S
Jammati
Hamid-Reza
HR
Farnia
Parissa
P
Mansouri
Seyed-Davood
SD
Masjedi
Mohammad-Reza
MR
Velayati
Ali-Akbar
AA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis*