TITLE:
Identifying Risk Factors for Pulmonary Tuberculosis Diagnosis Delays in Mali a West-African Endemic Country
AUTHORS:
Dianguina Soumare, Bocar Baya, Khadidia Ouattara, Tenin Kanoute, Cheick M. Sy, Seydou Karembé, Ibrahima Guindo, Lamine Coulibaly, Youssouf Kamian, Aime P. Dakouo, Fatoumata Sidibe, Salif Koné, Drissa Kone, Oumar Yossi, Gaoussou Berthe, Yacouba Toloba
KEYWORDS:
Tuberculosis, Diagnosis, Delays, Risk-Factors, Mali
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Tuberculosis Research,
Vol.10 No.1,
March
25,
2022
ABSTRACT: Background: Tuberculosis was the deadliest infectious
agent before covid-19; 1.5 million deaths in 2020. Despite, a variety, of easy and
cheap diagnostic tools, detection rates still fall below 90%; diagnosis delays are
long exceeding 30 days in many continents. This study aimed to determine risk factors for pulmonary TB diagnosis delays in Mali. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Bamako to include pulmonary TB patients
at treatment initiation centers. Verbal consent was obtained before the interview.
Demographics, clinical, treatment cost, and patient, medical, and diagnostic delays
were computed using SPSS 25.0 considering a significance level p Results: In total 266 patients were included, 80.8% were male, mean age was 40.5 ± 12
years, primary education level was 50.4%, treatment cost before diagnosis was 100
- 200 thousand CFA in 65.4%, smokers were 42.1%, median patient, medical and total
diagnostic delays were 58, 57 and 114 days respectively. Education level below university, social reasons,
and non-request of health workers were identified as independent risk factors for
diagnostic delay > 100 days in Mali. Conclusion: Diagnostic delay is relatively very long in Mali, there is an urgent need for
identification and action to shorten the delays to limit the transmission chain
and avoid disabling pulmonary sequels.