Patient and Health System Delay among New Pulmonary TB patients: A cross-sectional study in Eastern India

Introduction: The burden of TB is increased by delays in diagnosis and treatment, which are frequently brought on by inefficiencies in the patient and health system. Reducing mortality and transmission rates requires early detection and treatment. Objectives: This study aimed to estimate patient and health system delays among new pulmonary TB patients in Khordha district, Odisha. Methodology: A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among 420 pulmonary TB patients registered under the NTEP between June 2022 and July 2024. Multistage cluster sampling was used to select participants. Data on delays were collected using a semi-structured, pre-validated questionnaire. Statistical analysis, including chi-square tests, was performed using SPSS version 21. Results: 50.47% of patients experienced diagnostic delays longer than 15 days, and 8.8% of patients experienced delays longer than 14 days. 6.19% experienced treatment delays longer than seven days. Long-term delays were substantially correlated with factors like self-medication, trips to traditional healers, female gender, and age >30 years. Conclusion: Due to delays caused by systemic and sociodemographic factors, timely TB diagnosis and treatment are still difficult to achieve. Effective TB control requires addressing these through focused awareness efforts, early referrals, and reducing inefficiencies in the health system.