Table 2. Tuberculosis diagnostic delay by patient characteristics and place of residence, Mongolia, 2021 (n = 2718).
| Characteristica | Health-seeking delay (days), median (IQR) | P b | Health facility diagnostic delay (days), median (IQR) | P b | Diagnostic delay (days), median (IQR) | P b |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 24 (9–56) | 2 (0–8) | 31 (15–69) | |||
| Sex | ||||||
| Female (n = 1 161) | 22 (7–55) | 0.008 | 2 (0–9) | 0.251 | 31 (14–67) | 0.11 |
| Male (n = 1 557) | 25 (10–56) | 2 (0–7) | 31 (17–70) | |||
| Age group | ||||||
| 0–4 (n = 70) | 4.5 (1–20) | 0.0001 | 1 (0–7) | 0.048 | 11.5 (3–26) | 0.0001 |
| 5–14 (n = 223) | 10 (3–23) | 2 (0–8) | 16 (6–31) | |||
| 15–24 (n = 512) | 19 (7–41.5) | 2 (0–7) | 26 (13–55) | |||
| 25–34 (n = 655) | 27 (10–62) | 2 (0–7) | 34 (17–79) | |||
| 35–44 (n = 442) | 30 (10–63) | 2 (0–9) | 35 (20–78) | |||
| 45–54 (n = 411) | 28 (11–68) | 2 (0–7) | 39 (19–86) | |||
| 55–64 (n = 270) | 25 (11–66) | 1 (0–8) | 35 (20–90) | |||
| ≥ 65 (n = 133) | 28 (11–53) | 4 (0–14) | 39 (22–77) | |||
| Type of diagnosis | ||||||
| Bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB (n = 1 453) | 28 (11–61) | 0.0001 | 2 (0–6) | 0.085 | 35 (18–73) | 0.0001 |
| Clinically diagnosed pulmonary TB (n = 317) | 18 (6–50) | 2 (0–12) | 27 (12–69) | |||
| Extrapulmonary (n = 946) | 19 (6–46) | 2.5 (0–11) | 28 (14–59) | |||
| Patient type | ||||||
| New (n = 30) | 23 (8–53) | 0.0003 | 2 (0–8) | 0.815 | 30 (15–67) | 0.0001 |
| Relapse (n = 332) | 25.5 (10–57) | 2 (0–9.5) | 33 (18–64) | |||
| Other retreatment (n = 114) | 37 (15–92) | 2 (0–16.5) | 60.5 (31.5–180.5) | |||
| Place of residence | ||||||
| Ulaanbaatar (n = 1 829) | 22 (8–52) | 0.0004 | 2 (0–8) | 0.152 | 29 (14–64) | 0.0001 |
| Khangai | 28 (10–65) | - | 2 (0–10.5) | - | 41.5 (18–91) | - |
| Arkhangai (n = 48) | 25 (7.5–42) | - | 0 (0–10) | - | 27 (12–60.5) | - |
| Bayankhongor (n = 36) | 31.5 (14–74.5) | - | 2 (2–10.5) | - | 42 (24.5–88) | - |
| Bulgan (n = 31) | 57 (18–153) | - | 4 (0–15) | - | 66 (26–164) | - |
| Khuvsgul (n = 59) | 13 (4–42) | - | 8 (2–37) | - | 49 (25.5–110) | - |
| Orkhon (n = 50) | 31 (10–58) | - | 1 (0–2) | - | 18 (31.5–66) | - |
| Uvurkhangai (n = 32) | 51.5 (25–115) | - | 1 (0–4.5) | - | 61.5 (25.5–115.5) | - |
| Central | 29 (8–54) | - | 2 (0–7.5) | - | 35 (14.5–72.5) | - |
| Darkhan-Uul (n = 96) | 21.5 (7–47.5) | - | 1 (0–4.5) | - | 30.5 (14–63) | - |
| Dornogovi (n = 44) | 29.5 (7–57.5) | - | 1.5 (1–7.5) | - | 32.5 (11.5–66.5) | - |
| Dundgovi (n = 26) | 37.5 (11–83) | - | 5.5 (3–20) | - | 49 (36–101) | - |
| Govisumber (n = 10) | 29.5 (0–120) | - | 1.5 (0–11) | - | 61 (11–121) | - |
| Selenge (n = 85) | 22 (5–46) | - | 2 (0–9) | - | 31 (12–63) | - |
| Tuv (n = 62) | 35.5 (15–59) | - | 0 (0–1) | - | 40.5 (20–65) | - |
| Umnugobi (n = 21) | 31 (9–43) | - | 8 (3–21) | - | 38 (22–74) | - |
| East | 30 (13–75) | - | 1 (0–8) | - | 44.5 20–87 | - |
| Dornod (n = 64) | 24.5 (9–55) | - | 3.5 (1–16.5) | - | 41 (19–86) | - |
| Khentii (n = 74) | 28.5 (17–72) | - | 1 (0–15) | - | 38 (19–80) | - |
| Sukhbaatar (n = 48) | 50 (16–94.5) | - | 0 (0–1.5) | - | 58.5 (24.5–105.5) | - |
| West | 27 (9–52) | - | 4 (1–8) | - | 33 (14–77) | - |
| Bayan-Ulgii (n = 33) | 24 (7–71) | - | 3 (0–13) | - | 33 (16–85) | - |
| Gobi-Altai (n = 4) | 47 (36–79) | - | 0.5 (0–3) | - | 47.5 (39–79) | - |
| Khovd (n = 28) | 42 (17–76.5) | - | 7 (3–15) | - | 49 (25.5–110) | - |
| Uvs (n = 22) | 19 (10–38) | - | 1 (0–4) | - | 22 (10–40) | - |
| Zavkhan (n = 12) | 8 (5–17.5) | - | 4 (1.5–8) | - | 16 (11–26.5) | - |
IQR: interquartile range.
a The Mann–Whitney U test was used to compare median delays between males and females; the Kruskal–Wallis test was used to compare median delays between groups of people categorized by age group, type of diagnosis, patient type and place of residence.
b Significant P-values (< 0.05) are in bold.