Table 3.
Unadjusted (univariate) analysis of socio-cultural variables associated with timely and delayed treatment*
| Explanatory variables |
Timely treatment N = 178 |
P-values |
|---|---|---|
| OR (95% CI) | ||
|
Patterns of distress |
|
|
| Pain |
0.5 ( 0.21, 1.20) |
0.118 |
| Functional disability |
0.4 (0.20, 0.91) |
0.029 |
| Disrupted education |
0.8 (0.44, 1.65) |
0.628 |
| Loss of income |
0.4 (0.20, 0.92) |
0.030 |
| Anxiety |
0.6 (0.33, 1.27) |
0.204 |
| Embarrassed about condition |
0.6 (0.29, 1.11) |
0.098 |
| Recurring infection |
3.0 (0.90, 9.65) |
0.073 |
|
Perceived causes |
|
|
| Drinking unclean water |
1.6 (0.83, 3.21) |
0.158 |
| Prone to illness |
0.5 (0.16, 1.54) |
0.229 |
| Weakness of blood |
0.6 (0.30, 1.26) |
0.186 |
|
Outside-help |
|
|
| Herbalist |
0.3 (0.15, 0.60) |
0.001 |
| Fetish/spiritualist |
0.2 (0.07, 0.84) |
0.025 |
| Prayer camp |
0.4 (0.16, 1.08) |
0.071 |
| Municipal health centres |
2.7 (1.24, 5.88) |
0.012 |
| Government hospital outside the district |
0.6 (0.22, 1.49) |
0.252 |
| Nothing |
0.3 (0.06, 1.13) |
0.073 |
|
Reasons for medical treatment |
|
|
| Easy access to health centre |
8.3 (2.46, 27.94) |
0.001 |
| Self-referral |
2.3 (1.13, 4.57) |
0.022 |
| Referral by family and friends |
2.9 (1.39, 6.09) |
0.005 |
| Get well quickly |
3.7 (1.52, 8.79) |
0.004 |
| Effectiveness of antibiotic treatment | 3.1 (1.38, 6.88) | 0.006 |
*Only variables with p-value <0.25 are shown in the table except disrupted education as a pattern of distress, because it was often mentioned in respondents’ narratives with reference to medical treatment. OR = odds ratios, CI = confidence intervals and p-values for all variables included in the adjusted model are shown in the table. Values in bold indicate statistical significance (p ≤ 0.05). Timely treatment is defined as seeking treatment < 3 months from first awareness of symptoms to appropriate help-seeking.