TIME BEFORE OF TREATMENT OF TUBERCULOUS P ATIENTS IN FRANCE - RESULTSOF A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY IN SEPTEMBER-1994

A prospective study was conducted on all cases of introduction of anti tuberculous treatment in september 1994. The questionnaire include the National official report form and 9 questions in addition. The aim of the study was to assess the different cause of delay of treatment of tuberculous patients. On 444 responses, the time between first symptom s and the first medical contact was 36 days in native French and 44 da ys in foreign born patients, but in opposite the time between first me dical visit and the first day of treatment was 74 days for French nati ves and 34 days in foreign natives. The delay from first symptom to tr eatment was 112 days for patients with positive AFB and 79 days for pa tients with no AFB bacilli in sputum, despite a shorter time from hosp italisation to treatment (7 days versus 22 days). The isolation, when occur, was effective in half of patients the first day of hospitalisat ion. The lack of information of patients and physician on tuberculosis symptoms was the first cause of delay of treatment.