Time Interval for Diagnosis of Tuberculosis and Related Expenditure in Selected Health Centers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Table 2

Health seeking behaviour and knowledge on TB of the study participants ().

Characteristics	Frequency	Percent
What do you usually do when you feel sick?
Visit health facility	173	66.5%
Self-treatment	57	21.9%
Other/do nothing	30	11.5%
Who influenced the decision about where to go for help?
Self	193	74.2
Family members	45	17.3
Friend/neighbours	22	8.5
Heard of a disease known as TB?
Yes	224	86.2
No	36	13.8
What are the symptoms of TB?
Cough	220	98.2
Weakness	111	49.6
Sputum	96	42.9
Weight loss	94	42.0
Fever	94	42.0
Haemoptysis	67	29.9
How is TB transmitted?
Through breathing	218	97.3
Other	3	1.3
Do not know	3	1.3
Is TB a curable disease
Yes	220	98.2
No	4	1.8
Cost of treatment for taking anti-TB drugs?
Free	127	56.9
Expensive	47	20.8
Cheap	22	10.0
I do not know	28	12.3
Type of facility visited first for current illness
Public health centre	171	65.8
Public hospital	76	29.2
Private facilities	13	5.0
Number of visits of formal health facilities till TB diagnosis
One	127	48.8
Two	69	26.5
Three	37	14.2
Four	18	6.9
Five	9	3.5
How did you decide to come to this health centre eventually
Self-decision	134	51.6
Referral from other health care provider	77	29.6
Relatives/friends advice	49	18.8
Who gave you referral to come to this health centre
Private provider	39	50.6
Other government facilities (hospital, health posts/clinics)	34	44.2
Other	4	5.2

NB. Median number of visits before diagnosis is made = 2, mean = 1.8, minimum = 1, and range 1–5. Duration of cough from onset to diagnosis, in weeks, median = 4, IQR (3, 6).Distance to the nearest government TB diagnosis and treatment facility, in hours; By walking: mean 2.5, SD = 1.1, median = 2, IQR (2, 3). By transport: mean 0.7, SD = 0.3, median = 0.5, IQR (0.5, 1).