Factors associated with patient and health care system delay in diagnosis and treatment for TB in sub-Saharan African countries with high burdens of TB and HIV.

To identify factors causing delayed diagnosis and treatment for tuberculosis in high tuberculosis (TB)/HIV burden African countries. We searched Ovid Medline, CINAHL, PsychInfo, Scopus and Sabinet-South African journals and reference lists, Google, Google Scholar and Google SA for reports in English, ≥1992, of original data from sub-Saharan countries on patient or system delay in TB diagnosis or treatment with populations ≥15 years old. Two reviewers extracted data independently for each study. We categorized independent variables as predisposing, enabling or reinforcing (PRECEDE model). Meta-analysis was conducted for factors associated with delay in ≥2 studies. Of 20 eligible studies, 12 assessed both sources of delay; 1, system delay; and 7, patient delay only. Most were cross-sectional surveys (k = 13) with samples of consecutive patients (k = 13) and bivariate analyses (k = 11). Starting and endpoints for patient delay were consistent, but not system delay. Patient characteristics were studied frequently; HIV stigma and enabling factors were studied infrequently, although the last were most often associated with delay. Consulting traditional healers first--usually by rural residents--consistently led to patient delay; OR = 3.45 (1.91-6.21). Travel time for the return visit was consistently associated with system delay OR = 1.87 (1.378-2.531). We recommend partnerships with traditional healers and research emphasizing HIV and system factors, standard definitions of delay and qualitative and cohort studies to identify enabling and reinforcing factors related to delay. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.