BACKGROUND

Tuberculosis (TB) treatment delay is one of the major challenges of TB care in many low-income countries. Such cases may contribute to an increased TB transmission and severity of illness. The aim of this study was to determine the magnitude of patient delay in TB treatment, and associated factors in Dale District and Yirgalem Town administration of Sidama Region, Southern Ethiopia.

METHODS

Between January 1-Augst 30/ 2022, we studied randomly selected 393 pulmonary TB cases on Directly Observed Treatment Short course (DOTS) in Dale District and Yirgalem Town Administration. After conducting a pretest, we interviewed participants on sociodemographic, health seeking behavior and clinical factors and reviewed the TB registry. Trained enumerators interviewed to collect data. We entered data in to EPI-info 7 version 3.5.4 and then exported to the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 23 for analysis. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify associated factors of TB and statistical significance was defined using the 95% confidence interval.

RESULT

A total of 393 (98%) participants involved in the study. The magnitude of delay in TB treatment among the study participants was 223 (56.7%) (95% CI (51.8 - 61.6%)). Distance of the health facility from home, (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.04, 95% CI (1.3, 3.2)), seeking antibiotic treatment before being diagnosed for TB (AOR = 2.1, 95% CI (1.3, 3.5)) and the knowledge of TB prevention and treatments (AOR = 5.9, 95% CI (3.6, 9.8)), were factors associated with delay in TB treatment.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of TB treatment delay among pulmonary TB patients in the study setting was high. Delay in TB treatment was associated with knowledge, behavioral and accessibility related factors. Providing health education and active case finding of TB would help in minimizing the delay.