Consultation behaviors and factors influencing hesitation to seek medical care among local dengue patients in Guangzhou, China: a retrospective analysis

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Publicado en:BMC Public Health vol. 25 (2025), p. 1-12
Autor principal: Luo, Haipeng
Otros Autores: Liu, Wenhui, Luo, Lei, Zhang, Zhoubin
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Springer Nature B.V.
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022 |a 1471-2458 
024 7 |a 10.1186/s12889-025-24271-1  |2 doi 
035 |a 3247124314 
045 2 |b d20250101  |b d20251231 
084 |a 58491  |2 nlm 
100 1 |a Luo, Haipeng 
245 1 |a Consultation behaviors and factors influencing hesitation to seek medical care among local dengue patients in Guangzhou, China: a retrospective analysis 
260 |b Springer Nature B.V.  |c 2025 
513 |a Journal Article 
520 3 |a Section BackgroundDengue fever remains a significant public health challenge in Guangzhou, China, where healthcare-seeking behavior plays a critical role in shaping disease outcomes. This study investigates patterns of consultation delays and their determinants among locally acquired dengue cases from 2015 to 2024, aiming to inform targeted public health interventions.AbstractSection MethodsSurveillance data on locally acquired dengue fever cases in Guangzhou were extracted from Chinese National Notifiable Infectious Disease Reporting Information System for analysis. Categorical variables were summarized as frequencies and percentages (N, %), while continuous variables were presented as medians with interquartile ranges (IQR). Chi-square tests were used to examine differences in symptom onset and consultation timing across groups with varying demographic characteristics, and non-parametric Wilcoxon rank-sum tests assessed variations in consultation hesitation time (defined as the interval from symptom onset to medical consultation). To identify determinants of delayed care-seeking, a modified Poisson regression model with robust error variance adjustment was employed, incorporating key demographic characteristics as predictors.AbstractSection ResultsFrom 2015 to 2024, Guangzhou recorded 8,533 locally acquired dengue fever cases, with men accounting for 52.5% of cases (men-to-women ratio = 1.12:1). The overall median healthcare-seeking delay was 4 days (IQR 2–6). Notable spatiotemporal variation emerged, as residents of non-central areas presented earlier than those in urban centers (median 3 vs. 4 days), and while the median delay remained unchanged during high-incidence months, the interquartile range (IQR) narrowed from 3 to 6 days in low-incidence months to 2–6 days in high-incidence months. This contraction in IQR suggests more proactive healthcare-seeking behavior during epidemic periods (Z=-4.321, P < 0.001). Multivariable Poisson regression with robust standard errors confirmed significantly longer delays during low-incidence periods (IRR = 1.122, 95%CI:1.052–1.196). Weekend consultation rates decreased significantly during high-incidence months across most subgroups, though no significant weekday-weekend differences were observed among individuals in high-exposure occupations or during low-incidence periods (P > 0.05). Age-stratified analysis demonstrated significantly increased delay risk across all younger age groups compared to patients ≥ 65 years, with the greatest risk elevation in children and adolescents aged 0–18 years (IRR = 1.538, 95%CI:1.436–1.648), followed by adults aged 41–65 years (IRR = 1.093, 95%CI:1.053–1.134) and 19–40 years (IRR = 1.067, 95%CI:1.027–1.108), revealing a bimodal delay pattern. Distinct occupational gradients were equally apparent in the analysis. Workers in low exposure-risk occupations experienced the longest median delays (median 5 days; IQR 4–7) and highest adjusted risk (IRR = 1.429, 95%CI:1.341–1.523) compared with high-risk occupations, while moderate-risk occupations showed both the shortest delays (median 2 days, IQR 1–3) and significantly reduced risk (IRR = 0.652, 95%CI = 0.609–0.699). Similarly, special populations demonstrated reduced risk (IRR = 0.658, 95%CI:0.611–0.708).AbstractSection ConclusionsThis study highlights systematic disparities in dengue fever healthcare-seeking behavior, driven by occupational exposure risk, seasonal transmission dynamics, and demographic factors. To reduce delays, urgent implementation of targeted interventions is required. Interventions should incorporate health education initiatives in workplaces for high exposure risk occupational groups, while also focusing on low exposure risk occupational groups and urban residents experiencing delays in seeking care. Additionally, expanding weekend healthcare accessibility and developing age-specific education programs are essential to enhance epidemic response efficiency and reduce disease burden. 
651 4 |a Guangdong China 
651 4 |a China 
651 4 |a Guangzhou China 
653 |a Health promotion 
653 |a Adolescents 
653 |a Demographics 
653 |a Mortality 
653 |a Infectious diseases 
653 |a Health care 
653 |a Patients 
653 |a Viral diseases 
653 |a Occupations 
653 |a Epidemics 
653 |a Statistical analysis 
653 |a Dengue fever 
653 |a Men 
653 |a Delay 
653 |a Education 
653 |a Exposure 
653 |a Public health 
653 |a Vector-borne diseases 
653 |a Poisson density functions 
653 |a Disease control 
653 |a Population 
653 |a Risk management 
653 |a Data acquisition 
653 |a Regression models 
653 |a Community health care 
653 |a Age 
653 |a Health services 
653 |a Ethics 
653 |a Urban areas 
653 |a Robustness 
653 |a Urban environments 
653 |a Early intervention 
653 |a Workplaces 
653 |a Subgroups 
653 |a Occupational health 
653 |a Demography 
653 |a Mosquitoes 
653 |a Occupational exposure 
653 |a Social 
700 1 |a Liu, Wenhui 
700 1 |a Luo, Lei 
700 1 |a Zhang, Zhoubin 
773 0 |t BMC Public Health  |g vol. 25 (2025), p. 1-12 
786 0 |d ProQuest  |t Health & Medical Collection 
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856 4 0 |3 Full Text  |u https://www.proquest.com/docview/3247124314/fulltext/embedded/7BTGNMKEMPT1V9Z2?source=fedsrch 
856 4 0 |3 Full Text - PDF  |u https://www.proquest.com/docview/3247124314/fulltextPDF/embedded/7BTGNMKEMPT1V9Z2?source=fedsrch