Wijesinghe Rushika Shalindri, Wickremasinghe Ananda Rajitha, Ekanayake Sriyani, Perera Marian Shanthy Antoinette
Department of Parasitology, University of Sri Jayawardenepura, Gangodawila, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka.
Asia Pac J Public Health. 2008;20(2):129-38. doi: 10.1177/1010539507311257.
This cross-sectional, descriptive study describes the treatment-seeking behavior of 413 lymphoedema patients attending 2 filariasis clinics in the Colombo district, Sri Lanka. A pretested, interviewer-administered questionnaire obtained information regarding sources and types of treatment taken, time taken for diagnosis, and details regarding diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) treatment. There was a mean delay of 2.37 years (SD 1.37) in diagnosing filariasis after the first appearance of limb swelling. General practitioners were the most frequent first-contact health care providers and the most visited source overall, followed by government hospitals and Ayurvedic practitioners. Approximately 95% of patients were on DEC treatment ranging from 10 days to 43 years (mean 2.5 years SD +/- 1.1). Sixty-one percent of patients reported always having taken the recommended DEC course. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, diuretics, and antibiotics were liberally prescribed. Approximately 97% had sought treatment from a medical practitioner for an acute adenolymphangitis attack. Despite the area being endemic for filariasis, there was a delay in treatment and inappropriate use of DEC in patients with chronic filarial lymphoedema.
这项横断面描述性研究描述了在斯里兰卡科伦坡地区两家丝虫病诊所就诊的413名淋巴水肿患者的治疗寻求行为。通过一份经过预测试、由访谈员实施的问卷，获取了关于所接受治疗的来源和类型、诊断所需时间以及枸橼酸乙胺嗪（DEC）治疗细节的信息。肢体肿胀首次出现后，丝虫病诊断的平均延迟时间为2.37年（标准差1.37）。全科医生是最常见的首次接触医疗服务提供者，也是总体上就诊最多的来源，其次是政府医院和阿育吠陀从业者。约95%的患者正在接受DEC治疗，治疗时间从10天到43年不等（平均2.5年，标准差±1.1）。61%的患者报告一直遵循推荐的DEC疗程。非甾体抗炎药、利尿剂和抗生素的处方很随意。约97%的患者因急性腺淋巴管炎发作而寻求医生治疗。尽管该地区为丝虫病流行区，但慢性丝虫性淋巴水肿患者存在治疗延迟和DEC使用不当的情况。
