Factors associated with delay in diagnosis and treatment of XXXX .

@entity1 @entity378 @entity1907
BACKGROUND: Early treatment of @entity1907 ( @entity1907 ) is necessary for a successful @entity378 ( @entity378 ) control program. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine total treatment delay and its associated factors among @entity1907 @entity1 in Ahvaz. @entity1 AND METHODS: A retrospective study was performed among newly diagnosed @entity1907 cases registered in 2010 at the Ahvaz health center. Total treatment delay was defined as the time interval between the onsets of cough to the initiation of anti- @entity378 treatment. @entity378 diagnosis and treatment was based on the national @entity378 program (NTP). Data analysis was performed using the SPSS software by chi-square and Fisher's exact test with odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: The mean age of the @entity1 was 38.9    12.3 years; 83 were male and 56 were female. Of the 139 smear positive @entity1907 cases, 91 (65.5%) cases had received delayed-treatment. The mean time between onset of symptoms, diagnosis and treatment was 73 days (median: 48 days, range: 4-570 days). Female gender (OR (95% CI): 2.9, 1.03-8.23, P = 0.02), smoking (OR (95% CI): 0.49, 0.22-0.96, P = 0.04) and receiving immunosuppressive drugs (OR (95% CI): 8.18, 1.09-75.31, P < 0.05) were associated with longer delayed time. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed diagnosis and treatment of @entity378 appears to be the main problem in the @entity378 control program of the region. Delayed time is significantly associated with female gender, smoking and immunosuppressive drugs.
