OBJECTIVE: To identify variables associated with total diagnostic delay (TDD), patient delay (PD) and health service delay (HSD), among the tuberculous immigrant population in the Autonomous Community of Madrid (ACT). METHODOLOGY: Tuberculosis cases diagnosed in 15 hospitals in the ACT in 2003 were interviewed face-to-face and medical records were reviewed. A descriptive study was conducted, followed by univariate and multivariate analysis using non-conditional logistic regressions. 50th (p50) and 75th (p75) percentiles of the different diagnostic delay components were analysed as dependent variables. RESULTS: For the 296 cases included, the mean TDD was 40.5 days (IQR 16.0-90.0), the PD was 15 days (IQR 6.5-30.0), and the HSD was 5 days (IQR 0.0-30.0). TDD-p75 is associated with seeking primary health care (OR 2.87, 95%CI 1.47-5.58). PD-p75 is associated with identification of fever (OR 0.49, 95%CI 0.25-0.92) and non-identification of cough (OR 1.87, 95%CI 1.05-3.36) as symptoms resulting in health care being sought. The HSD-p75 is associated with primary health care being sought (OR 3.81, 95%CI 1.87-7.78), health cover (OR 15.07, 95%CI 1.96-115.68) and negative smear results at the time of diagnosis (OR 1.98, 95%CI 1.01-3.91). CONCLUSIONS: The HSD needs to be reduced, mainly when health care is sought through the primary care services and among patients with negative smear results. © 2007 The Union.

tuberculosis Health service diagnostic delay Patient delay Immigration Diagnostic delay

immigrant mass screening demography health care personnel clinical feature Prospective Studies human Odds Ratio health service controlled study priority journal Time Factors Logistic Models Urban Health Humans male Spain female Socioeconomic Factors tuberculosis medical record socioeconomics diagnostic test Article major clinical study fever coughing Emigration and Immigration Patient Acceptance of Health Care Delivery of Health Care Cough Health Services Accessibility primary health care