title: [Delay in the search for health services for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo].
abstract: The scope of this paper is to analyze delays in locating health services for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in Ribeirao Preto in 2009. An epidemiological and cross-sectional study was conducted with 94 TB patients undergoing treatment. A structured questionnaire, based on the Primary Care Assessment Tool adapted for TB care was used. A median (15 days or more) was established to characterize delay in health attendance. Using the Prevalence Ratio, the variables associated with longer delay were identified. The first healthcare services sought were the Emergency Services (ES) (57.5%). The longest period between seeking assistance occurred among males, aged between 50 and 59, who earned less than five minimum wages, had pulmonary TB, were new cases, were not co-infected with TB/HIV, did not consume alcohol, had satisfactory knowledge about TB before diagnosis (with a statistically significant association with delay) and who did not seek healthcare close to home before developing TB. There is a perceived need for training healthcare professionals about the signs and symptoms of the disease, reducing barriers of access to timely diagnosis of TB and widely disseminating it to the community in general.
authors.affiliation: Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av Bandeirantes 3900/Campus USP, Monte Alegre, 14040-902 Ribeirão Preto SP, Brazil. li_aab@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Aline Ale
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Beraldo
authors.forename: Tiemi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arakawa
authors.forename: Erika Simone Galvão
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Rubia Laine de Paula
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Anneliese Domingues
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Wysocki
authors.forename: Reinaldo Antonio
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: da Silva Sobrinho
authors.forename: Beatriz Estuque
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Scatolin
authors.forename: Nathalia Hálax
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Órfão
authors.forename: Maria Amélia Zanon
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ponce
authors.forename: Aline Aparecida
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Monroe
authors.forename: Lúcia Marina
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Scatena
authors.forename: Tereza Cristina Scatena
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Villa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D057210:Delayed Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055815:Young Adult