Abstract:
Background: Tuberculosis is one of the major public health problems in Tanzania. The main
control strategy in the country is passive case finding whereby people with symptoms are
expected to go to health facilities for further investigation. Still there is delay in seeking care
in the population. Delay in case detection and treatment may worsen the prognosis of the
disease and spread of infection. It is therefore important to determine factors responsible for
delay in seeking care in order to develop strategies to address them.
Objectives: The main objective of this study was to asses social and cultural factors that
contribute to delay in seeking care among tuberculosis patients attending DOTS clinics in
Rungwe District
Materials and methods: The study was a cross sectional analytical in nature conducted in
Rungwe district involved 232 TB patients .Exit interview were used to collect data and data
were analyzed computer software, Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 15.
Convenience sampling was used to select study participants. Results were presented in
frequencies, percentages and Chi-square test was applied to show the association between
dependent and independent variables. Ethical issues were observed.
Results: The study revealed majority of the patients (71%) delayed to seek care. Older (above
44 years) patients were at a significant elevated risk (OR = 3.8; 95% CI = 1.7, 8.5), to delay in
seeking for health care. Similarly, although not significant, females were twice as likely as
males to delay to seek for health care (OR = 2.1; 95% CI = 0.9, 4.5). Social and traditional
practices had significant contribution to delay in seeking medical care.
Conclusion: Factors associated with delay in seeking health care for more than 30 days after
development of symptoms included age, gender, place of first resort and perceived severity of
the disease.
