ArticleMultiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England)2025
Factors associated with delay to diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in Zambia.
Article in Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- High early mortality and contributing factors in seropositive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder at a tertiary hospital in Zambia.Multiple sclerosis and related disorders · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
Abstract
BACKGROUND/
objectivesDelays to diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) are largely unknown in sub-Saharan Africa. This study utilizes a quantitative approach to determine factors independently associated with delays to diagnosis among a cohort of Zambian people with MS.
methodsThis cross-sectional study enrolled people with a confirmed diagnosis of MS at a public outpatient neurology clinic in Lusaka, Zambia. Standardized surveys were administered. Diagnostic delay was categorized into patient delay, health-system delay, and all delay. A multivariable linear regression model was used to determine factors independently associated with time to diagnosis.
resultsA total of 22 participants had a confirmed diagnosis of MS. Median all delay from symptom onset to MS diagnosis was 11.4 months (interquartile range (IQR) = 4-35.5), with health-system delay accounting for the majority. Asian race correlated with a decrease in all delay, while evaluation outside of Zambia was associated with a decrease in patient delay and birthplace outside of Zambia correlated with decreased health-system delay.
conclusionBlack African people born in Zambia and evaluated in Zambia experienced prolonged diagnostic delays when compared to non-black Zambians born and/or evaluated outside Zambia, likely due to a combination of health system and patient factors, which necessitate further study to shorten time to diagnosis.
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