The effect of diagnostic delays on the drop-out rate and the total delay to diagnosis of tuberculosis
Date
2008-04-09
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Public Library of Science
Abstract
Background: Numerous patient and healthcare system-related delays contribute to the overall delay experienced by patients from onset of TB symptoms to diagnosis and treatment. Such delays are critical as infected individuals remain untreated in the community, providing more opportunities for transmission of the disease and adversely affecting the epidemic. Methodology/Principal Findings: We present an analysis of the factors that contribute to the overall delay in TB diagnosis and treatment, in a resource-poor setting. Impact on the distribution of diagnostic delay times was assessed for various factors, the sensitivity of the diagnostic method being found to be the most significant. A linear relationship was found between the sensitivity of the test and the predicted mean delay time, with an increase in test sensitivity resulting in a reduced mean delay time and a reduction in the drop-out rate. Conclusions/Significance: The results show that in a developing country a number of delay factors, particularly the low sensitivity of the initial sputum smear microscopy test, potentially increase total diagnostic delay times experienced by TB patients significantly. The results reinforce the urgent need for novel diagnostic methods, both for smear positive and negative TB, that are highly sensitive, accessible and point of care, in order to reduce mean delay times. © 2008 Millen et al.
Description
CITATION: Millen, S. J. et al. 2008. The effect of diagnostic delays on the drop-out rate and the total delay to diagnosis of tuberculosis. PLoS ONE, 3(4): e1933, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0001933.
The original publication is available at http://journals.plos.org/plosone
The original publication is available at http://journals.plos.org/plosone
Keywords
Tuberculosis -- Diagnosis
Citation
Millen, S. J. et al. 2008. The effect of diagnostic delays on the drop-out rate and the total delay to diagnosis of tuberculosis. PLoS ONE, 3(4): e1933, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0001933.