this page is secure
Comprehensive understanding of health-seeking behaviour among pulmonary tuberculosis patients in China
OBJECTIVE: To gain a comprehensive understanding of the first choice of health care facility among Chinese patients with suspected pulmonary TB (PTB) and the number of visits required to make the diagnosis.
DESIGN: Relevant full-text articles in three Chinese and one English literature databases up to November 2016 were reviewed. Meta-analyses were performed using Stata v12.0.
RESULTS: Among 1257 potentially relevant selected articles, 27 cross-sectional studies involving 9891 patients were included in the final analyses. Most PTB patients chose county-level hospitals (40%, 95%CI 33–46) and village clinics (34%, 95%CI 27–42); only 13% (95%CI 10–16) of patients chose to visit PTB dispensaries first. Before obtaining the correct diagnosis, 28% (95%CI 11–44) of patients had to visit health facilities more than three times.
CONCLUSION: Patients with suspicion of PTB were more likely to visit low-level facilities than dispensaries. Repeated visits resulted in both overall delay and high risk of PTB transmission. These findings suggest that a shift in government policy for PTB is required.
Keywords: Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex; first-visited health facility; health care visits; infection control; transmission
Document Type: Research Article
Affiliations: 1: Hospital Management Institute, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, Nosocomial Infection Control Office, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 2: Nosocomial Infection Control Office, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, National Clinical Research Center of Respiratory Diseases, Center for Respiratory Diseases, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, China–Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, Department of Pulmonary Medicine; Capital Medical University, Beijing, China 3: Disease Control and Prevention Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Aichi Medical University Graduate School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan 4: Nosocomial Infection Control Office, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 5: Nosocomial Infection Control Office, People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
Publication date: 01 October 2017
The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IJTLD) is for clinical research and epidemiological studies on lung health, including articles on TB, TB-HIV and respiratory diseases such as COVID-19, asthma, COPD, child lung health and the hazards of tobacco and air pollution. Individuals and institutes can subscribe to the IJTLD online or in print – simply email us at [email protected] for details.
The IJTLD is dedicated to understanding lung disease and to the dissemination of knowledge leading to better lung health. To allow us to share scientific research as rapidly as possible, the IJTLD is fast-tracking the publication of certain articles as preprints prior to their publication. Read fast-track articles.
- Editorial Board
- Information for Authors
- Subscribe to this Title
- International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
- Public Health Action
- Ingenta Connect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites
Receive new issue alert