Abstract PS4-09-19: Factors influencing time to treatment initiation for breast cancer in Ethiopia

Abstract AbstractBackground: Breast cancer is becoming a challenging health condition in Ethiopia with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Timely care is crucial for improving breast cancer survival. However, women in Ethiopia continue to encounter multiple barriers at various stages of the care pathway from symptom recognition to treatment initiation. This study aimed to assess the factors influencing the interval from symptom detection to treatment initiation among breast cancer patients in Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between July and September 2024 among 458 women with histologically confirmed breast cancer who initiated treatment at three tertiary hospitals in Ethiopia. Data were collected through structured interviews and medical record reviews. Five key intervals from symptom detection to treatment initiation were measured using the Model of Pathways to Treatment. Andersen’s Behavioural Model guided the categorization of explanatory variables into predisposing, enabling, need-related, and contextual factors. Accelerated Failure Time (AFT) models were used to identify predictors of delay, with model selection based on the best-fitting distribution (Weibull, lognormal, or log-logistic). Time ratios (TRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported, and a p-value of