Skip to main content

Table 1 Social characteristics of interviewees

From: ‘Complex’ but coping: experience of symptoms of tuberculosis and health care seeking behaviours - a qualitative interview study of urban risk groups, London, UK

Int ID

Usual pattern of housing+

Place of birth

Criminal justice

Drug use

OST

Alcohol

HIV+

Other self reported health conditions

Routes into care

ID01

Hostel

UK

PWID

 

Epilepsy

Unclear due to several attempts to treat over a period of time. Not hospitalised.

ID02

NFA

UK

  

 

Epilepsy

GP called ambulance (A & E)

ID03

Shared house (temporary)

Ethiopia

      

Awaiting referral via GP but self referred to A & E and hospitalised

ID04

BedsitHostel

Nigeria

PWUD

 

 

Diabetes

Blacked out, taken to hospital by ambulance, admitted to hospital through A & E

ID05

NFA

UK

 

PWID

   

MXU & hospitalised

ID06

NFA

UK

PWID

 

 

Collapsed outside hospital, self referred to A & E & hospitalised initially in a psychiatric unit because of drug use

ID07

B & B

Somalia

     

Hypertension

GP referred patient to TB clinic

Staying with relatives in their house

Diabetes

Ulcer

ID08

Home ownership but now unable to pay mortgage due to illness and no recourse to public funds due to immigration status

Nigeria

    

Drug induced diabetes

Friend called ambulance, taken to A & E and admitted to hospital

ID09

NFA

UK

PWID

  

Hepatitis C

Partner called ambulance: hospitalised, discharged, readmitted to hospital & discharged. Later re-admitted when visited GP & told TB clinic trying to contact him

ID10

NFA

Ethiopia

      

GP made referral to neurologist & patient was hospitalised

Hostel

ID11

NFA, sometimes stays at a friend’s house

UK

   

 

Stomach ulcers

GP prescribed a course of general antibiotics & later sent patient to hospital

ID12

B & B

Somalia

      

GP referral to hospital with letter via TB clinic

ID13

NFA

Ireland

   

 

Arthritis

Taken to hospital by ambulance, & admitted via A & E

ID14

Hostel

UK

PWID

 

Doctor at DDU. Client says he went to four different hospitals but tests came back negative

ID15

Temporary bedsit

UK

PWID

 

Hepatitis

Initially diagnosed in hospital for HIV related condition. Self discharged & later self referred through A & E and readmitted to hospital

ID16

Hostel

UK

 

PWID

   

Hostel workers took him to A & E

ID17

B & B

Somalia

      

No GP, self referred through A & E

  1. NFA no fixed abode usually sleeping on streets; PWID person who injects drugs; PWUD person who uses drugs; OST Opioid substitution therapy (methadone); B&B an individual room to sleep where breakfast is sometimes offered. MXU mobile x-ray unit; DDU Drug dependency unit; + did not have one main place of residence but would alternate.