Additional file 5: Figure S2 of Health system delay among patients with tuberculosis in Taiwan: 2003–2010

Measurement of health system delay (HSD). We assumed that respiratory-related visits were of the same respiratory episode if the interval between two respiratory-related visits was ≦60 days and different episodes if >60 days when examining HSD. For example, Visit 3 was considered belonging to the same episode and included in our study because the interval between Visit 3 and Visit 4 was 35 days (≦60). Visit 2 was identified as another respiratory episode and excluded because the interval between Visit 2 and Visit 3 was 66 days (>60). AB ¯ $$ \overline{AB} $$ indicates the Euclidean distance between Visit 3 and the visit where TB treatment was initialized (Visit 5). (PDF 311 kb)