scholarly journals The Impact of Recall Periods on Reported Morbidity and Health Seeking Behavior

Author(s):  
Jishnu Das ◽  
Jeffrey Hammer ◽  
Carolina Sánchez-Paramo
2012 ◽  
Vol 98 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jishnu Das ◽  
Jeffrey Hammer ◽  
Carolina Sánchez-Paramo

PLoS ONE ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. e0262202
Author(s):  
Weiqin Liu ◽  
Qifen Yang ◽  
Zhen-e Xu ◽  
Ya Hu ◽  
Yongming Wang ◽  
...  

Background The unprecedented coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused millions of infections worldwide and represents a significant challenge facing modern health care systems. This study was conducted to investigate the impact of lockdown measures in a tertiary Children’s Hospital in southwest China, which might be used to predict long-term effects related to health-seeking behavior of parents/caregivers. Methods This study included newborns enrolled over a span of 86 weeks between January 4, 2019, and August 27, 2020. We designated two time periods for analysis purposes: a stable pre-COVID period(55 weeks between January 4, 2019, and January 23, 2020) and a COVID-impacted period (31 weeks between January 24, 2020, and August 27, 2020). An interrupted time-series analysis was employed to compare changes and trends in hospital admissions and disease spectra before and after the period of nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). Furthermore, this study was conducted to evaluate whether the health-seeking behavior of parents/caregivers was influenced by pandemic factors. Results Overall, 16,640 infants were admitted to the neonatology department during the pre-COVID period (n = 12,082) and the COVID-impacted period (n = 4,558). The per week neonatal admissions consistently decreased following the first days of NPIs (January 24, 2020). The average weekly admission rates of 220/week pre-COVID period and 147/week COVID-impacted period. There was an evident decrease in the volume of admissions for all disease spectra after the intervention, whereas the decrease of patients complaining about pathological jaundice-related conditions was statistically significant (p<0.05). In the COVID-impacted period, the percentage of patients who suffered from respiratory system diseases, neonatal encephalopathy, and infectious diseases decreased, while the percentage of pathological jaundice-related conditions and gastrointestinal system diseases increased. The neonatal mortality rates (NMRs) increased by 8.7% during the COVID-impacted period compared with the pre-COVID period. Conclusions In summary, there was a significant decline in neonatal admissions in a tertiary care hospital during the COVID-19 Pandemic and the associated NPIs. Additionally, this situation had a remarkable impact on disease spectra and health-seeking behavior of parents/caregivers. We, therefore, advise continuing follow-ups and monitoring the main health indicators in vulnerable populations affected by this Pandemic over time.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  

Background: Obstetric fistula is a serious health problem affecting women in low and middle-income countries. It continues to exist in Nigeria because the health care system has failed to provide quality, accessible and affordable maternal health care including family planning, skilled care at birth, basic and comprehensive emergency obstetric care and inadequate access to treatment of obstetric fistula cases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of educational status and cultural beliefs on the health seeking behavior of women with obstetric fistula in South-South and South Eastern Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Non-probability sampling involving purposive and simple random sampling technique was adopted in the selection of one hundred and fifty (150) post-operative patients. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis frequency tables and percentage distribution. Results: The findings were that educational status and cultural belief exert significant influence on the health seeking behavior of women with obstetric fistula. Conclusion: The study indicated that obstetric fistula is a major reproductive health challenge affecting women of childbearing age in Nigeria. Based on the findings of the study, educational status and cultural belief of women with obstetric fistula are the major serious challenges to health seeking behaviour of the women with Vesico-vaginal fistula (VVF). It was therefore recommended that more awareness on obstetric fistula should be created using strategies such as sex education programmed in secondary schools and churches so as to educate them on issues concerning obstetric fistula as well as health talk on VVF for youths.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Shafiqul Islam ◽  
Parvin Begum

Abstract Aim: As households’ health-seeking behavior depends enormously on socio-economic and demographic factors particularly in developing county like Bangladesh, it contributes differently to health-care seeking behavior varying household to household. This study intends to explore the nature of the health seeking behavior of urban residents in Sylhet city through assessing the socio-economic and socio-demographic factors. Subject and Methods: A 150 household survey has been completed in Sylhet city, using a multistage cluster sampling method. A household survey questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic and socio-economic factors and their impacts on health-seeking behavior. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis investigate the extent of association between different socio-economic and demographic factors and health-seeking behavior. Results: We found that among the 150 participants, the majority (88%) of household heads are male because gender is significantly associated with priority in choosing health care in the study. The result of binary logistic regression indicates the households who have a minimum level of education (primary or above) are 10.617 more likely to use public health care facilities. Income is statistically associated with the main source of health service. The interference of income in seeking treatment has a relationship with the employment sectors (public or private). Moreover, the reasons for choosing a specific source of health care have a significant relationship with the main source of health care (public or private). Conclusion: This study recommends that government should introduce health insurance policy for city dwellers for reducing the inequalities in health services among city dwellers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (7) ◽  
pp. e0009576
Author(s):  
Mikaela R. Koch ◽  
Lansana Kanneh ◽  
Paul H. Wise ◽  
Lianne M. Kurina ◽  
Foday Alhasan ◽  
...  

Background The West African Ebola epidemic of 2013–2016 killed nearly 4,000 Sierra Leoneans and devastated health infrastructure across West Africa. Changes in health seeking behavior (HSB) during the outbreak resulted in dramatic underreporting and substantial declines in hospital presentations to public health facilities, resulting in an estimated tens of thousands of additional maternal, infant, and adult deaths per year. Sierra Leone’s Kenema District, a major Ebola hotspot, is also endemic for Lassa fever (LF), another often-fatal hemorrhagic disease. Here we assess the impact of the West African Ebola epidemic on health seeking behaviors with respect to presentations to the Kenema Government Hospital (KGH) Lassa Ward, which serves as the primary health care referral center for suspected Lassa fever cases in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. Methodology/Principal findings Presentation frequencies for suspected Lassa fever presenting to KGH or one of its referral centers from 2011–2019 were analyzed to consider the potential impact of the West African Ebola epidemic on presentation patterns. There was a significant decline in suspected LF cases presenting to KGH following the epidemic, and a lower percentage of subjects were admitted to the KGH Lassa Ward following the epidemic. To assess general HSB, a questionnaire was developed and administered to 200 residents from 8 villages in Kenema District. Among 194 completed interviews, 151 (78%) of respondents stated they felt hospitals were safer post-epidemic with no significant differences noted among subjects according to religious background, age, gender, or education. However, 37 (19%) subjects reported decreased attendance at hospitals since the epidemic, which suggests that trust in the healthcare system has not fully rebounded. Cost was identified as a major deterrent to seeking healthcare. Conclusions/Significance Analysis of patient demographic data suggests that fewer individuals sought care for Lassa fever and other febrile illnesses in Kenema District after the West African Ebola epidemic. Re-establishing trust in health care services will require efforts beyond rebuilding infrastructure and require concerted efforts to rebuild the trust of local residents who may be wary of seeking healthcare post epidemic.


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