Treatment seeking behavior and treatment practices of lymphatic filariasis patients with Lymphoedema in the Colombo district, Sri Lanka
dc.contributor.author | Wijesinghe, R.S. | en_US |
dc.contributor.author | Wickremasinghe, A.R. | en_US |
dc.contributor.author | Ekanayake, S. | en_US |
dc.contributor.author | Perera, M.S.A. | en_US |
dc.creator.corporateauthor | Asia-Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health | en_US |
dc.date.accessioned | 2014-10-29T09:27:12Z | |
dc.date.available | 2014-10-29T09:27:12Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2008 | en_US |
dc.description | Indexed in MEDLINE | |
dc.description.abstract | 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 | |
dc.identifier.citation | Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health. 2008; 20(2): pp.129-38 | en_US |
dc.identifier.department | Public Health | en_US |
dc.identifier.issn | 1010-5395 (Print) | en_US |
dc.identifier.issn | 1941-2479 (Electronic) | en_US |
dc.identifier.uri | http://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/1887 | |
dc.publisher | SAGE Publishing | en_US |
dc.subject | Filariasis | en_US |
dc.title | Treatment seeking behavior and treatment practices of lymphatic filariasis patients with Lymphoedema in the Colombo district, Sri Lanka | en_US |
dc.type | Article | en_US |
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