SynthesisBMC infectious diseases2020
Patient delay in the diagnosis of tuberculosis in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
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Who cites it
24 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Magnitude of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases throughout the course of infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PloS one · 2021Pooled it
- Frontline healthcare worker barriers impacting tuberculosis service demand and access in high burden settings: a scoping review.Journal of global health · 2026Article
- Patient-related diagnostic delay and risk of unfavorable treatment outcomes among pulmonary tuberculosis patients at the antituberculosis center of Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Delay in seeking health facility and associated factors among tuberculosis patients in South Gondar Zone, Ethiopia, mixed methods study.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Analysis of factors influencing patient delay in tuberculosis patients in Northeast China: surveillance data from 2015 to 2024.BMC infectious diseases · 2026Article
- Spatial clustering and genetic diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and associated diagnostic delays in Nairobi County, Kenya.BMC infectious diseases · 2026Article
- Factors associated with delayed diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in Chitwan district of Nepal.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
- Analysis of factors influencing high infectivity in patients with tuberculosis using clinical and imaging methods.BMC infectious diseases · 2025Article
- Mixed-methods study to assess delay among patients with tuberculosis in an urban setting of Bangladesh.PloS one · 2025Article
- Article
- Tuberculosis treatment delay and associated factors among pulmonary tuberculosis patients at public health facilities in Dale District and Yirgalem Town administration, Sidama Region, South Ethiopia.BMC infectious diseases · 2024Article
- Investigating the role of symptom valorisation in tuberculosis patient delay in urban areas in Portugal.BMC public health · 2023Article
- Effect of multimodal diagnostic approach using deep learning-based automated detection algorithm for active pulmonary tuberculosis.Scientific reports · 2023Observational
- Geographic distribution and predictors of diagnostic delays among possible TB patients in Uganda.Public health action · 2023Article
- Analysis of factors influencing patient delay by patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in Lishui City, Zhejiang Province.BMC pulmonary medicine · 2023Observational
- Total delay and associated factors among tuberculosis patients in Jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia.PloS one · 2023Article
- Delays in TB Diagnosis and Treatment Initiation in Burkina Faso during the COVID-19 Pandemic.Tropical medicine and infectious disease · 2022Article
- Gaps and Interventions across the Diagnostic Care Cascade of TB Patients at the Level of Patient, Community and Health System: A Qualitative Review of the Literature.Tropical medicine and infectious disease · 2022Review
- Knowledge of symptoms and delays in diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis patients in North Shewa zone, Ethiopia.PloS one · 2022Article
- Impact of Protracted Displacement on Delay in the Diagnosis Associated with Treatment Outcomes: A Cross-Sectional Study in Internally Displaced Tuberculosis Patients of Pakistan.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDelay in the diagnosis of Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major challenge against achieving effective TB prevention and control. Though a number of studies with inconsistent findings were conducted in Ethiopia; unavailability of a nationwide study determining the median time of patient delays to TB diagnosis is an important research gap. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the pooled median time of the patient delay to TB diagnosis and its determinants in Ethiopia.
methodsWe followed PRISMA checklist to present this study. We searched from Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library databases for studies. The comprehensive search for relevant studies was done by two of the authors (MA and LY) up to the 10th of October 2019. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale adapted for observational studies. Data were pooled and a random effect meta-analysis model was fitted to provide the overall median time of patient delay and its determinants in Ethiopia. Furthermore, subgroup analyses were conducted to investigate how the median time of patient delay varies across different groups of studies.
resultsTwenty-four studies that satisfied the eligibility criteria were included. Our meta-analysis showed that the median time of the patient delay was 24.6 (95%CI: 20.8-28.4) days. Living in rural area (OR: 2.19, 95%CI: 1.51-3.18), and poor knowledge about TB (OR: 2.85, 95%CI: 1.49-5.47) were more likely to lead to prolonged delay. Patients who consult non-formal health providers (OR: 5.08, 95%CI: 1.56-16.59) had a prolonged delay in the diagnosis of TB. Moreover, the narrative review of this study showed that age, educational level, financial burden and distance travel to reach the nearest health facility were significantly associated with a patient delay in the diagnosis of TB.
conclusionsIn conclusion, patients are delayed more-than three weeks in the diagnosis of TB. Lack of awareness about TB, consulting non-formal health provider, and being in the rural area had increased patient delay to TB diagnosis. Increasing public awareness about TB, particularly in rural and disadvantaged areas could help to early diagnosis of TB.
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