Pathways to Care for Patients With Severe Chronic NCDs: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Inpatients in Neno Malawi.

Ages ranged from 2 to 80 years (median: 43.5, IQR: 23.5-62).

Diagnoses included heart disease, Type 1 and insulin-dependent Type 2 diabetes, kidney and liver disease, epilepsy and schizophrenia, with nearly half of patients admitted for cardiac conditions.

One-third sought care within 3 days of recognizing symptoms, and 60% were admitted with new diagnoses.

Time from symptom onset to diagnosis varied widely: Type 1 diabetes was diagnosed within 2 months of initial symptoms, and sickle cell disease often took years.