Determinants of consultation, diagnosis and treatment delays among new smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Morocco: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT

We conducted a cross-sectional survey in 2012 in 12 selected provinces and prefectures in Morocco to determine consultation delay [patient delay], diagnosis delay and treatment delay [health system delays], and factors relating to these delays. The sample included 250 eligible and consenting newly diagnosed smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients who were interviewed at the time of their registration within Diagnosis of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases Reference Centers [CDTMR] or Integrated Health Centers [CSI] using a pretested and structured questionnaire. The median total delay was 46 days [inter-quartile interval [IQI] = 29-84 days]. Patient delay [median = 20; IQI = 8-47 days] was higher than health system delay [median-15; IIQ = 7-35 days]. Being illiterate, thinking symptoms will disappear by themselves; having financial constraints and feeling fear of diagnosis or social isolation were associated with patient delay. Consulting first in the private sector or having 3 or more consultations before diagnosis was associated with health system delay