Longer delays in tuberculosis diagnosis among women in Vietnam.

SETTING

Study conducted in 23 randomly selected districts in four provinces of Vietnam.

OBJECTIVE

To describe and compare health seeking behaviour between men and women and to measure delays in tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis.

DESIGN

All patients (n = 1027) aged 15-49 years with new smear-positive pulmonary TB detected in the selected districts during 1996 were interviewed using a structured questionnaire.

RESULTS

Mean total delay to TB diagnosis was 13.3 weeks (95% confidence interval [CI] 11.5, 15.1) for women and 11.4 weeks (95% CI 10.6, 12.2) for men, including a patient's delay of 7.9 weeks (95% CI 6.5, 9.3) and 7.6 weeks (95% CI 6.9, 8.3) respectively. Doctor's delay was significantly longer among women (5.4 weeks, 95% CI 4.2, 6.6) than among men (3.8 weeks, 95% CI 3.3, 4.3). Women did not start seeking care later than men, nor did they have a different health seeking pattern. Women visited more health care providers than men (1.7 and 1.5 providers, respectively, P = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

Patient's delay is unacceptably long for both men and women. Women do not receive a diagnosis of TB by doctors or other health care providers as quickly as men once they seek health care. The reasons for this gender difference warrant further investigations.