A socio-epidemiological study was undertaken by the NTI on out-patients attending the LWTDTC at Bangalore to understand the main reasons why people attended TB diagnosis and treatment centers so as to know why they default in treatment subsequently. During February-May 1966, a 50% random sample (comprising 2,653 persons of which 1% of the interviews were rejected) of the new out-patients attending the TB Center for diagnosis were interviewed by experienced social investigators before their X-ray examination. Eighty-three percent of the out-patients came from the city while only 17% came from the rural areas.

While a number of sociological characteristics such as profession, religion and literacy were found not to have any significant relationship with the patients' attendance, distance from patient's home to the city TB Center proved to be crucial. Further analysis of the data suggested that even in a city, a majority of the persons with symptoms first contacted, for treatment, the nearest health institution which typically happened to be a general health institution. This delayed early diagnosis or referral. Of those patients who subsequently attended the city TB Center, 37% had not received any treatment for TB from the general health institutions, 50% got non-specific treatment and only 13% got likely or definite TB treatment. Nineteen percent who did not have TB also got likely or definite TB treatment. It was clear that a very complex and multi-lateral relationship existed between the symptomatic patients, the institutions of general health and the established specialized services. Sociological or operational studies to examine this "complex" were suggested.