Table 3.

Time taken for medical consultation, referral and treatment of BC as stated by the participants (N=300)

Variables	n	%
Initial response on first noticing possible BC symptoms (n=296)
Informing husband	119	40
Informing family members	108	37
Seeing a doctor in a government hospital	25	8.4
Seeing a doctor in a local health centre	24	8.1
Seeing a doctor in a private sector facility	7	2.4
Travelling abroad	6	2
Informing friends	5	1.7
Using traditional/herbal medicine	2	0.7
Approximate duration of symptom(s) before contacting a doctor (n=298)
<1 week	93	31
1–2 weeks	46	15
3–4 weeks	59	20
5–7 weeks	24	8.1
2–5 months	38	13
6–12 months	18	6
>12 months	20	6.7
Length of time between contacting a doctor and getting an appointment (n=294)
Same/next day	52	18
<1 week	78	27
1–2 weeks	61	21
3–4 weeks	54	18
1–2 months	35	12
>3 months	14	4.8
Number of medical visits before being diagnosed
At local health centres (n=155)
1	105	68
2	27	17
3	23	15
At government hospitals (n=209)
1	63	30
2	44	21
3	47	23
≥4	55	26
Length of time between being referred to hospital and getting an appointment with a specialist (n=296)
<1 week	117	40
1–2 weeks	94	32
3–4 weeks	58	20
5–7 weeks	12	4.1
2–5 months	8	2.7
6–12 months	3	1
>12 months	4	1.4
Approximate length of time between first medical appointment and diagnosis (n=297)
Same/next day	31	10
<1 week	72	24
1–2 weeks	92	31
3–4 weeks	53	18
1–2 months	30	10
3–6 months	10	3.4
>6 months	9	3
Length of time between diagnosis and first receiving treatment (n=294)
<1 week	88	30
1–2 weeks	84	29
3–4 weeks	58	20
1–2 months	46	16
>3 months	18	6.1

BC, breast cancer.