Medicine
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This repository contains the published and unpublished research of the Faculty of Medicine by the staff members of the faculty
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Item Treatment seeking behavior and treatment practices of lymphatic filariasis patients with Lymphoedema in the Colombo district, Sri Lanka(SAGE Publishing, 2008) Wijesinghe, R.S.; Wickremasinghe, A.R.; Ekanayake, S.; Perera, M.S.A.This cross-sectional, descriptive study describes the treatment-seeking behavior of 413 lymphoedema patients attending 2 filariasis clinics in theColombo district, Sri Lanka. A pretested, interviewer-administered questionnaire obtained information regarding sources and types of treatment taken, time taken for diagnosis, and details regarding diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) treatment. There was a mean delay of 2.37 years (SD 1.37) in diagnosing filariasis after the first appearance of limb swelling. General practitioners were the most frequent first-contact health care providers and the most visited source overall, followed by government hospitals and Ayurvedic practitioners. Approximately 95% of patients were on DEC treatmentranging from 10 days to 43 years (mean 2.5 years SD +/- 1.1). Sixty-one percent of patients reported always having taken the recommended DEC course. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, diuretics, and antibiotics were liberally prescribed. Approximately 97% had sought treatment from a medical practitioner for an acute adenolymphangitis attack. Despite the area being endemic for filariasis, there was a delay in treatment and inappropriate use of DEC in patients with chronic filarial lymphoedema