Bivariate analyses did not reveal a significant association of any distance metric with the delay outcome. ResultsĪ total of 838 patients with both distance and delay data were included in the network analysis. Other covariates were organized according to the Andersen utilization conceptual framework. The main independent variables were network travel time (in minutes) and Euclidean distance (in kilometers). The delay interval outcome was defined using a comprehensive set of 28 possible self-reported symptoms. Multivariable interval regression with multiplicative heteroscedasticity was used to assess the impact of time and distance on delay. The study enrolled households from April 2002 to July 2012. This was part of a longitudinal cohort study known as the Kawempe Community Health Study based in Kampala, Uganda.

The study’s objective was to determine the association between appraisal delay in seeking tuberculosis (TB) treatment and geographic distance measured by network travel (driving and pedestrian) time (in minutes) and distance (Euclidean and self-reported) (in kilometers) and to identify other risk factors from selected covariates and how they modify the core association between delay and distance. Appraisal delay is the time a patient takes to consider a symptom as not only noticeable, but a sign of illness.

Symptom network analysis definition