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Table 2 Initial symptoms encountered and Health care seeking pathways among new TB cases on directly observed treatment short course (DOTS), Southwestern Ethiopia, January to December 2015 (n = 735)

From: Delays to anti-tuberculosis treatment intiation among cases on directly observed treatment short course in districts of southwestern Ethiopia: a cross sectional study

Variable

Frequency

Percent

Initial symptoms encountered

Cough

563

76.6

Night sweat

345

46.9

Fever

300

40.8

Loss of appetite

279

38.0

Chest pain

267

36.3

Weight loss

236

32.1

Haemoptysis

144

19.6

Othersa

62

8.4

First action to illness

Visit HCF

596

81.1

Self-treatment

98

13.3

Visit holy water

26

3.5

Consult traditional healer

15

2.0

Perceived reason for not visiting HCF first (n = 149)

Thought illness limit by itself

97

65.1

Perceived long waiting time at HCF

37

24.8

Perceived expensive service fee

37

24.8

HCF too far

29

19.5

Other b

22

14.8

First HCF visited

Private clinic

260

35.4

Health center

238

32.4

Hospital

221

30.1

Health post

16

2.2

Source of advice/referral to visit first HCF

Self

472

64.2

Parent/relative

280

38.1

HEW c

32

4.4

TB patient

30

4.1

HIV care clinic

16

2.2

Otherd

31

4.2

Travel time to first HCF visited

<=1 h

582

79.2

> 1 h

153

20.8

Patient delay (days)

Median(IQR)

25(15–36)

 

Median (95%CI)

25(21,28)

 
  1. aneck swelling, head ache, joint pain, back pain, wound,bHCF closed, mistrust health care provider, bad previous experience at HCF, fear of HIV test and fear of TB diagnosis, cHEW = Health Extension worker(trained females those provide household package of health care to household), ddrug shop(13), holy water(14), traditional healer(4)