Measuring Patient Delay in Leprosy Detection According to Initial Health-Seeking Behavior in Indonesia

Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang, Indonesia

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Abstract

Leprosy is a public health problem causing permanent disability, with visible impairments classified as grade 2 disability (G2D). This problem is associated with case detection delay (CDD), which comprises patient and health system delays. Patient delay is caused by the initial health-seeking behavior of people with leprosy. This study aims to measure the duration of patient delay according to the initial health-seeking behavior. This study employed a cross-sectional approach. Data were collected through interviews with leprosy patients. Statistical analysis was conducted to measure and compare the duration of patient delay according to the types of initial health-seeking behaviors. These behaviors were categorized into three types: visiting appropriate healthcare services (38.1%), engaging in self-medication and seeking inappropriate medicine and healthcare services (45,2%), and taking no action (16.7%). The mean duration of patient delay was 9.7 months. The longest patient delay was due to self-medication and seeking inappropriate treatment (10.8 months). There was no significant difference in patient delay according to the initial health-seeking behavior of people with leprosy (p = 0.051). Community awareness of leprosy needs to be improved through health education to reduce the duration of patient delay.