Abstract:
Background: Tuberculosis is a highly contagious disease accounting for a high number of deaths in the developing countries; its control can be
effectively achieved if individuals with the disease receive adequate and timely treatment. The objective of this study was to determine the factors
associated with late presentation of suspects to tuberculosis management facilities in Dagoretti district in Nairobi, Kenya. Methods: A cross
sectional study was conducted on patients aged 18 years and above attending TB clinics in Dagoretti District, Nairobi Kenya. A total of 426 TB
suspects were interviewed. The study covered 8 clinics in Dagoretti district. Analysis was done using SPSS version 16.0 and Epi info version 6, this
included Chi Square for Bivariate analysis and Binary Logistic Regression for Multivariate Analysis. Results: Out of the 426 tuberculosis suspects,
248 (58.2%) suspects had delayed in seeking medical care. In Bivariate analysis male gender (P=0.039, O.R=1.51; 95% Confidence Interval;
1.00- 2.27), level of education (Primary class 5-8) (P=0.001, O.R= 2.06; 95% C.I 1.34-3.19) and place of first medical care (drug store) (P=
0.013, O.R=1.63; 95% C.I 1.09-2.46) were all significantly associated with late presentation. After multivariate logistic regression, gender
(P=0,019, OR=1.6), level of education (p=0.029, OR=1.26) and place of first medical care (P= 0.01 OR=1.27), were found to be significantly
associated with late presentation. Conclusion: This study shows that age, level of education and place of first medical care are the factors
associated with late presentation of suspects to tuberculosis management facilities.
