Table 3.
Endorsement of Barriers to Help-Seeking and Patient Interval in Oral Cancer Patients (n= 261)
| Variable | ≤ 90 days n (%) |
> 90 days n (%) |
OR (95%CI) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Found it embarrassing talking to the doctor about symptoms | |||
| Yes | 21 (17.5) | 46 (32.6) | 2.283(1.3-4.1) |
| No | 99 (82.5) | 95 (67.4) | Reference |
| Was too busy to make time to go to the doctor | |||
| Yes | 40 (33.3) | 68 (48.2) | 1.863(1.1-3.1) |
| No | 80 (66.7) | 73 (51.8) | Reference |
| Had too many other things to worry about | |||
| Yes | 49 (40.8) | 82 (58.2) | 2.014 (1.2-3.3) |
| No | 71 (59.2) | 59 (41.8) | Reference |
| Was worried about what tests they might want to do | |||
| Yes | 29 (24.2) | 70 (49.6) | 3.094 (1.8-5.3) |
| No | 91 (75.8) | 71 (50.4) | Reference |
| Did not have a person to accompany me during hospital visits/consultations | |||
| Yes | 20 (16.7) | 44 (31.2) | 2.268 (1.2-4.1) |
| No | 100 (83.3) | 97 (68.8) | Reference |
| Did not have money to consult a doctor/visit a hospital | |||
| Yes | 23 (19.2) | 47 (33.3) | 2.109 (1.2-3.7) |
| No | 97 (80.8) | 94 (66.7) | Reference |
| Was worried about what the doctor might find out | |||
| Yes | 23 (19.2) | 64 (45.4) | 3.505 (2.0-6.2) |
| No | 97 (80.8) | 77 (54.6) | Reference |
| Comfortable in discussing symptoms with a nurse than a doctor | |||
| Yes | 32 (26.7) | 55 (39.0) | 1.759 (1.03-3.0) |
| No | 88 (73.3) | 86 (61.0) | Reference |
| Prefer alternative medicines than modern medicine | |||
| Yes | 17 (14.2) | 42 (29.8) | 2.570 (1.4-4.8) |
| No | 103 (85.8) | 99 (70.2) | Reference |