Presumptive pulmonary tuberculosis cases loss to follow up before diagnosis and its associated factors in tertiary care institute.

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to estimate the proportion of presumptive pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) cases lost to follow-up (LTFU) before diagnosis at a tertiary care facility and explore associated factors.

METHODS

A mixed-method study (sequential explanatory, QUAN-qual) was conducted at the pulmonary Outpatient Department of a tertiary care institute from November 2022 to June 2023. Quantitative data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and analyzed with IBM SPSS trial version 25. Qualitative data were obtained through in-depth interviews using the Health Care Access Barriers model.

RESULTS

Out of 160 cases, 63.7% were males, and 84.4% underwent sputum testing. The qualitative findings highlighted structural, financial, and cognitive constraints causing diagnostic delays. A total of 15.6% of pulmonary Tuberculosis (TB) cases were LTFU before diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed significant pretreatment LTFU in pulmonary TB cases, influenced by factors such as healthcare access, socioeconomic status, literacy, and societal norms.