Frontiers in Public Health (Dec 2014)

Patient reported delays in seeking treatment for Tuberculosis (TB) among adult and pediatric TB patients and TB patients co-infected with HIV in Lima, Peru: a qualitative study

  • Valerie A Paz-Soldan,
  • Valerie A Paz-Soldan,
  • Rebecca Elise Alban,
  • Christy eDimos Jones,
  • Amy Rebecca Powell,
  • Richard A Oberhelman

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2014.00281
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 2

Abstract

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Abstract: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant public health challenge worldwide, and particularly in Peru with one of the highest incidence rates in Latin America. TB patient behavior has a direct influence on whether a patient will receive timely diagnosis and successful treatment of their illness. Objectives: The objective was to understand the complex factors that can impact TB patient health seeking behavior. Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with adult and parents of pediatric patients receiving TB treatment (n=43), within that group a sub-group was also co-infected with HIV (n=11). Results: Almost all of the study participants recognized delays in seeking either their child’s or their own diagnosis of their TB symptoms. The principal reasons for treatment-seeking delays were lack of knowledge and confusion of tuberculosis symptoms, fear and embarrassment of receiving a TB diagnosis, and a patient tendency to self-medicate prior to seeking formal medical attention.Conclusions: Health promotion activities that target patient delays have the potential to improve individual patient outcomes and mitigate the spread of TB at a community level.

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