Mhalu, Grace and Hella, Jerry and Mhimbira, Francis and Said, Khadija and Mosabi, Thomas and Mlacha, Yeromin P. and Schindler, Christian and Gagneux, Sébastien and Reither, Klaus and de Hoogh, Kees and Weiss, Mitchell G. and Zemp, Elisabeth and Fenner, Lukas. (2019) Pathways and associated costs of care in patients with confirmed and presumptive tuberculosis in Tanzania : a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open, 9 (4). e025079.
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Abstract
To assess pathways and associated costs of seeking care from the onset of symptoms to diagnosis in patients with confirmed and presumptive tuberculosis (TB).; Cross-sectional study.; District hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.; Bacteriologically confirmed TB and presumptive TB patients.; We calculated distance in metres and visualised pathways to healthcare up to five visits for the current episode of sickness. Costs were described by medians and IQRs, with comparisons by gender and poverty status.; Of 100 confirmed and 100 presumptive TB patients, 44% of confirmed patients sought care first at pharmacies after the onset of symptoms, and 42% of presumptive patients did so at hospitals. The median visits made by confirmed patients was 2 (range 1-5) and 2 (range 1-3) by presumptive patients. Patients spent a median of 31% of their monthly household income on health expenditures for all visits. The median total direct costs were higher in confirmed compared with presumptive patients (USD 27.4 [IQR 18.7-48.4] vs USD 19.8 [IQR 13.8-34.0], p=0.02), as were the indirect costs (USD 66.9 [IQR 35.5-150.0] vs USD 46.8 [IQR 20.1-115.3], p<0.001). The indirect costs were higher in men compared with women (USD 64.6 [IQR 31.8-159.1] vs USD 55.6 [IQR 25.1-141.1], p<0.001). The median total distance from patients' household to healthcare facilities for patients with confirmed and presumptive TB was 2338 m (IQR 1373-4122) and 2009 m (IQR 986-2976) respectively.; Patients with confirmed TB have complex pathways and higher costs of care compared with patients with presumptive TB, but the costs of the latter are also substantial. Improving access to healthcare and ensuring integration of different healthcare providers including private, public health practitioners and patients themselves could help in reducing the complex pathways during healthcare seeking and optimal healthcare utilisation.
Faculties and Departments: | 09 Associated Institutions > Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) 09 Associated Institutions > Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) > Department of Epidemiology and Public Health (EPH) > Biostatistics > Biostatistics Frequentist Modelling (Kwiatkowski) 09 Associated Institutions > Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) > Department of Epidemiology and Public Health (EPH) > Environmental Exposures and Health Systems Research > Physical Hazards and Health (Röösli) 09 Associated Institutions > Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) > Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology (MPI) > Tuberculosis Ecology and Evolution Unit (Gagneux) 09 Associated Institutions > Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) > Department of Medicine (MED) > Clinical Research (Reither) |
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UniBasel Contributors: | Mhalu, Grace and Hella, Jerry and Ibrahim, Khadija and Schindler, Christian and Mlacha, Yeromin Paul and Gagneux, Sebastien and Reither, Klaus and de Hoogh, Kees and Weiss, Mitchell G. and Zemp Stutz, Elisabeth |
Item Type: | Article, refereed |
Article Subtype: | Research Article |
Publisher: | BMJ Publishing Group |
e-ISSN: | 2044-6055 |
Note: | Publication type according to Uni Basel Research Database: Journal article |
Language: | English |
Identification Number: |
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edoc DOI: | |
Last Modified: | 25 Apr 2019 08:47 |
Deposited On: | 25 Apr 2019 08:47 |
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