Reasons for Delay in Seeking Care for Tuberculosis, Republic of Armenia, 2006–2007
Table 3
Relationship between tuberculosis patient characteristics and delay in seeking health care, Republic of Armenia, September 2006–August 2007.
Characteristic
Delayed (%)
95%
95% CI
Gender
1
Male
192
73 (38)
1.27
(0.64, 2.51)
Female
48
16 (33.3)
1
Age
1
0–24
44
17 (38.6)
1
25–34
50
16 (32)
0.75
(0.32, 1.75)
35–44
49
21 (42.9)
1.19
(0.52, 2.73)
45–54
46
22 (47.8)
1.46
(0.63, 3.37)
55
29
13 (44.8)
1.29
(0.5, 3.34)
Marz
1
Aragatsotn
13
5 (2.3)
0.84
(0.25, 2.87)
Ararat
28
12 (5.5)
1.01
(0.41, 2.49)
Armavir
27
13 (6)
1.25
(0.5, 3.1)
Gegarkunik, Syuniq, & Vayots Dzor*
18
7 (3.2)
0.86
(0.29, 2.51)
Lori & Shirak*
20
5 (2.3)
0.45
(0.16, 1.29)
Kotayk
34
15 (6.9)
1.06
(0.46, 2.48)
Tavush
16
6 (2.8)
0.81
(0.26, 2.51)
Yerevan
61
26 (11.9)
1
Education
1
None/Elementary school
19
9 (4.1)
0.98
(0.29, 3.31)
Middle school
99
35 (16.1)
0.6
(0.24, 1.49)
High school
77
34 (15.6)
0.86
(0.34, 2.19)
University
23
11 (5)
1
Marital status
1
Not married
72
28 (12.8)
0.85
(0.47, 1.53)
Married
126
54 (24.8)
1
Divorced
14
5 (2.2)
0.74
(0.23, 2.34)
Live separately
0
0
0
0
Widow
6
2 (1)
0.67
(0.12, 3.77)
Employment status
1
Unemployed
179
74 (33.9)
1.15
(0.56, 2.33)
Employed
39
15 (6.9)
1
Payment policy change**
1
Before
113
46 (40.7)
0.99
(0.58, 1.7)
After
105
43 (41)
1
Type of facility where first sought care
2
Public
166
68 (41)
0.86
(0.38, 1.97)
Private
27
12 (44.4)
1
Symptoms
2
Cough
164
71 (43.3)
1.53
(0.80, 2.91)
Fever
153
66 (43.1)
1.39
(0.76, 2.52)
Hemoptysis
41
15 (36.6)
0.8
(0.4, 1.62)
Fatigue
160
75 (46.9)
2.77†
(1.41, 5.46)
2.47†
(1.15, 5.29)
Night sweats
151
61 (40.4)
0.94
(0.53, 1.69)
0.48†
(0.24, 0.96)
Weight loss
150
73 (48.7)
3.08†
(1.62, 5.88)
2.99†
(1.46, 6.14)
Headaches/Dizziness
7
2 (28.6)
0.57
(0.05, 3.59)
Abdominal discomfort
14
9 (64.3)
2.79
(0.90, 8.63)
Insomnia
5
3 (60)
2.22
(0.25, 26.94)
Chest pain
12
5 (41.7)
1.04
(0.25, 3.94)
Back pain
12
6 (50)
1.48
(0.38, 5.74)
Leg Pain
2
1 (50)
1.46
(0.09, 23.56)
Other symptoms
17
8 (47.1)
1.32
(0.49, 3.56)
Known contact with a TB case
2
Yes
47
24 (51.1)
1.7
(0.89, 3.26)
No
171
65 (38)
1
Reasons for delayed medical evaluation
2
Thought not serious
102
41 (40.2)
0.95
(0.55, 1.64)
Thought something else
30
17 (56.7)
2.11
(0.97, 4.59)
(1.13, 6.12)
Did not know where to go
4
3 (75)
6.02
(0.58, 298.9)
Did not have time
10
4 (40)
0.96
(0.19, 4.21)
Could not afford
14
10 (71.4)
3.96†
(1.2, 13.04)
3.13
(0.93, 10.58)
Did not want to go
5
4 (80)
6.02
(0.58, 298.9)
Fear of stigma
3
1 (33)
0.72
(0.01, 14.08)
Crude Odds Ratio, 95% Confidence Interval, and Adjusted Odds Ratios. Adjusted for the other variables in the logistic regression model. Backwards elimination model in which the variable was included.
*Stratification by marz produced cell counts in some cases. Where this occurred, marzes were combined with the nearest neighboring marz.
** As of January 1, 2007, all TB diagnostic and treatment services are free to the patient. Significant at .
