Health care seeking behavior of pulmonary tuberculosis patients visiting TB Center Rawalpindi.

OBJECTIVE To determine the health care seeking behavior of TB patients in seeking care and health care providers for delivering care. DESIGN Cross sectional descriptive survey. The interviewers administered a standardized open-ended questionnaire after training and pre-testing. SETTING Federal Government TB Center, Rawalpindi. (specialized TB clinic). SUBJECT One hundred and sixty newly registered TB patients at TB Center, Rawalpindi between 20 November to 21 December 1998. RESULTS Prior to their consulting TB Center, 96% patients had already reported to a health care provider, i.e., to first, second or third health care providers. OF 154 patients, 48 were diagnosed as TB and only 29 (19%) of them received antituberculosis treatment. Most of the patients 118 (77%) consulted the health care provider within three weeks time. CONCLUSION Delay is more on part of health care providers than on patients. Proper implementation of guidelines of TB program with public-private sector collaboration and continuing education of health care providers is necessary.