Referral patterns for retinoblastoma patients in Ethiopia
Abstract Background Increased lag time between the onset of symptoms and treatment of retinoblastoma (RB) is one of the factors contributing to delay in diagnosis. The aim of this study was to understand the referral patterns and lag times for RB patients who were treated at Menelik II Hospital in A...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-02-01
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| Series: | BMC Health Services Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09137-9 |
| _version_ | 1797865175789862912 |
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| author | Sadik Taju Sherief Fran Wu Jacquelyn O’Banion Tiliksew Teshome Helen Dimaras |
| author_facet | Sadik Taju Sherief Fran Wu Jacquelyn O’Banion Tiliksew Teshome Helen Dimaras |
| author_sort | Sadik Taju Sherief |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Increased lag time between the onset of symptoms and treatment of retinoblastoma (RB) is one of the factors contributing to delay in diagnosis. The aim of this study was to understand the referral patterns and lag times for RB patients who were treated at Menelik II Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Method A single-center, cross- sectional study was conducted in January 2018. All new patients with a confirmed RB diagnosis who had presented to Menelik II Hospital from May 2015 to May 2017 were eligible. A questionnaire developed by the research team was administered to the patient’s caregiver by phone. Results Thirty-eight patients were included in the study and completed the phone survey. Twenty-nine patients (76.3%) delayed seeing a health care provider for ≥ 3 months from the onset of symptoms, with the most common reason being the belief that it was not a problem (96.5%), followed by 73% saying it was too expensive. The majority of patients (37/38, 97.4%) visited at least 1 additional health care facility prior to reaching a RB treatment facility. The mean overall lag time from noticing the first symptom to treatment was 14.31 (range 0.25–62.25) months. Conclusion Lack of knowledge and cost are major barriers to patients first seeking care for RB symptoms. Cost and travel distance are major barriers to seeing referred providers and receiving definitive treatment. Delays in care may be alleviated by public education, early screening, and public assistance programs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T23:03:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-236a3db469ff47ec82e0eebfe63b9690 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6963 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T23:03:47Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Health Services Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-236a3db469ff47ec82e0eebfe63b96902023-03-22T10:47:06ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632023-02-0123111010.1186/s12913-023-09137-9Referral patterns for retinoblastoma patients in EthiopiaSadik Taju Sherief0Fran Wu1Jacquelyn O’Banion2Tiliksew Teshome3Helen Dimaras4Department of Ophthalmology, Menelik II HospitalDepartment of Ophthalmology, Emory UniversityDepartment of Ophthalmology, Emory UniversityDepartment of Ophthalmology, Menelik II HospitalDepartment of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, The Hospital for Sick Children and University of TorontoAbstract Background Increased lag time between the onset of symptoms and treatment of retinoblastoma (RB) is one of the factors contributing to delay in diagnosis. The aim of this study was to understand the referral patterns and lag times for RB patients who were treated at Menelik II Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Method A single-center, cross- sectional study was conducted in January 2018. All new patients with a confirmed RB diagnosis who had presented to Menelik II Hospital from May 2015 to May 2017 were eligible. A questionnaire developed by the research team was administered to the patient’s caregiver by phone. Results Thirty-eight patients were included in the study and completed the phone survey. Twenty-nine patients (76.3%) delayed seeing a health care provider for ≥ 3 months from the onset of symptoms, with the most common reason being the belief that it was not a problem (96.5%), followed by 73% saying it was too expensive. The majority of patients (37/38, 97.4%) visited at least 1 additional health care facility prior to reaching a RB treatment facility. The mean overall lag time from noticing the first symptom to treatment was 14.31 (range 0.25–62.25) months. Conclusion Lack of knowledge and cost are major barriers to patients first seeking care for RB symptoms. Cost and travel distance are major barriers to seeing referred providers and receiving definitive treatment. Delays in care may be alleviated by public education, early screening, and public assistance programs.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09137-9RetinoblastomaLag timeSocio economic factorsSub Saharan African CountriesPublic Health |
| spellingShingle | Sadik Taju Sherief Fran Wu Jacquelyn O’Banion Tiliksew Teshome Helen Dimaras Referral patterns for retinoblastoma patients in Ethiopia BMC Health Services Research Retinoblastoma Lag time Socio economic factors Sub Saharan African Countries Public Health |
| title | Referral patterns for retinoblastoma patients in Ethiopia |
| title_full | Referral patterns for retinoblastoma patients in Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Referral patterns for retinoblastoma patients in Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Referral patterns for retinoblastoma patients in Ethiopia |
| title_short | Referral patterns for retinoblastoma patients in Ethiopia |
| title_sort | referral patterns for retinoblastoma patients in ethiopia |
| topic | Retinoblastoma Lag time Socio economic factors Sub Saharan African Countries Public Health |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09137-9 |
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