Gender Differences in Factors Associated with the Total Delay in Treatment of Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study in Selangor, Malaysia

Kee Chee Cheong, Sumarni Mohd Ghazali, Ahmed Syahmi Syafiq Md Zamri, Yoon Ling Cheong, Nuur Hafizah Md. Iderus, Tharmarajah Nagalingam, Qistina Ruslan, Mohd Azahadi Omar and Ahmad Faudzi Yusoff
Additional contact information
Kee Chee Cheong: Sector for Biostatistics and Data Repository, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, Selangor, Malaysia
Sumarni Mohd Ghazali: Biomedical Epidemiology Unit, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, Selangor, Malaysia
Ahmed Syahmi Syafiq Md Zamri: Biomedical Epidemiology Unit, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, Selangor, Malaysia
Yoon Ling Cheong: Biomedical Museum, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, Selangor, Malaysia
Nuur Hafizah Md. Iderus: Biomedical Epidemiology Unit, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, Selangor, Malaysia
Tharmarajah Nagalingam: Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, Selangor, Malaysia
Qistina Ruslan: Biomedical Epidemiology Unit, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, Selangor, Malaysia
Mohd Azahadi Omar: Sector for Biostatistics and Data Repository, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, Selangor, Malaysia
Ahmad Faudzi Yusoff: SEAMEO TROPMED Malaysia, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam 40170, Selangor, Malaysia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 10, 1-15

Abstract: Background : Gender plays a significant role in health-care-seeking behavior for many diseases. Delays in seeking treatment, diagnosis, and treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis (pTB) may increase the risk of transmission in the community and lead to poorer treatment outcomes and mortality. This study explores the differences in factors associated with the total delay in treatment of male and female pTB patients in Selangor, Malaysia. Methods : A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2017 to December 2017. Newly diagnosed pTB patients (≥18 years) were recruited from selected government health clinics and hospitals in Selangor during the specified study period. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect information on sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle, knowledge about pTB, stigma, distance to the nearest health facility, and chronology of pTB symptom onset, diagnosis, and treatment. The total delay was measured as the length of time between the onset of pTB symptoms to treatment initiation. Factors significantly associated with a longer total delay among men and women were identified using binary logistic regression. Results : A total of 732 patients (61.5% men, 38.5% women) were enrolled in the study. The median total delay was 60 days. Men who have weight loss as a symptom (AOR: 1.63, 95%CI: 1.10–2.41) and are employed (1.89, 1.15–3.11) were more likely to have a longer total delay, while those who know others who have had pTB (0.64, 0.43–0.96) were less likely to have a longer total delay. On the other hand, among women, having a stigma towards TB (0.52, 0.32–0.84) and obtaining a pTB diagnosis at the first medical consultation (0.48, 0.29–0.79) were associated with a shorter total delay. Conclusion : Factors associated with the total delay in pTB treatment were different for male and female pTB patients. Increasing awareness of pTB symptoms and the importance of seeking early medical consultation and a prompt diagnosis among the general public may reduce total delay in pTB treatment.

Keywords: pulmonary tuberculosis; delay; gender; stigma (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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