Food Poisoning and Care-Seeking Behavior - Cases of Students from the City of Mohammedia in Morocco - Prospective Study

Abstract Background: Food poisoning is a problem that affects public health. It is unveiling opens an opportunity for action to identify and avoid the problem. The main objective of this study is to analyze the environmental factors that influence the obligation to consult a doctor or not following food poisoning.Methods: The study was conducted, following a prospective survey, on a sample of 408 students chosen at random from six schools of urban origin in the city of Mohammedia in Morocco.Results: 33.6% of the students confirmed having consulted the doctor against 66.4% after food poisoning. In the same way, we found that 16.2% (n = 66) of the students who declared poisoning following the consumption of an offending food were hospitalized. In addition, only 13.6% of intoxicated carried out analyzes were requested by the consultant doctor. 59.3% of the drugs prescribed by doctors are anti-infectious followed by gastro-entero-hepatology 15.4% and 12.3% are analgesics.Conclusions: Overall, this study confirms that food poisoning is very frequent among students in Morocco, so parents should be educated about the danger of food poisoning in their children, by presenting them to a doctor immediately after contamination to avoid complications.

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Determinants of health care seeking behavior among rural population of a coastal area in South India

International Journal of Scientific Reports ◽

10.18203/issn.2454-2156.intjscirep20150218 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 118 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Ramesh Chand Chauhan ◽

Mani Kandan ◽

Anil J. Purty ◽

Abel Samuel ◽

Zile Singh

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Coastal Area ◽

Health Care Facilities ◽

Health Facilities ◽

Health Care Seeking ◽

Care Seeking ◽

Care Seeking Behavior ◽

Seeking Behavior ◽

Health Care Seeking Behavior

Background: Understanding of health seeking behaviour (HSB) is essential to provide need based health care services to the population. Many factors like sex, age, type of illness, access to services and perceived quality of the services, influences the health seeking behavior. This study assessed the HSB among rural population of a coastal area in Tamil Nadu.Methods: A community based descriptive study was done in a rural coastal area of Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu state of India. Using simple random sampling method, 559 participants were selected. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Information about socio-demographic characteristics, presence of acute or chronic illness, health care seeking behavior and reasons for non-utilization of particular health facilities etc. was obtained. Chi square test was applied to find the association of health care seeking behavior with various participant characteristics. Results: Among 559 study participants, majority (56.4%) visited public health care facilities for various illnesses. Almost one-third of the study participants visited the private health facilities and another 11.6 percent visited other health facilities including pharmacies. Among various causes, febrile illnesses (39.5%) and pain (20.8%) were the most common reasons for visiting a health care facility. Individual’s income was significantly associated with the HSB (p value <0.05). Availability of services, free of cost was reported as most common reason for preferring to the public health facility. On other hand, private practitioners were preferred due to their better availability and quality of care.Conclusions: Public health care facilities were preferred by due to low cost of services and HSB varies with the type of illness and income of the individuals.

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Knowledge About COVID-19 Among Adults in China: Cross-sectional Online Survey (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.26940 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Fengyun Yu ◽

Pascal Geldsetzer ◽

Anne Meierkord ◽

Juntao Yang ◽

Qiushi Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Household Income ◽

Online Survey ◽

Western China ◽

Care Seeking ◽

Sampling Weights ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Recommended Care ◽

Care Seeking Behavior ◽

Seeking Behavior

BACKGROUND A detailed understanding of the public’s knowledge and perceptions of COVID-19 could inform governments’ public health actions in response to the pandemic. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and perceptions of COVID-19 among adults in China and its variation among provinces and by sociodemographic characteristics. METHODS Between May 8 and June 8, 2020, we conducted a cross-sectional online survey among adults in China who were registered with the private survey company KuRunData. We set a target sample size of 10,000 adults, aiming to sample 300-360 adults from each province in China. Participants were asked 25 questions that tested their knowledge about COVID-19, including measures to prevent infection, common symptoms, and recommended care-seeking behavior. We disaggregated responses by age; sex; education; province; household income; rural–urban residency; and whether or not a participant had a family member, friend, or acquaintance who they know to have been infected with SARS-CoV-2. All analyses used survey sampling weights. RESULTS There were 5079 men and 4921 women who completed the questionnaire and were included in the analysis. Out of 25 knowledge questions, participants answered a mean and median of 21.4 (95% CI 21.3-21.4) and 22 (IQR 20-23) questions correctly, respectively. A total of 83.4% (95% CI 82.7%-84.1%) of participants answered four-fifths or more of the questions correctly. For at least one of four ineffective prevention measures (using a hand dryer, regular nasal irrigation, gargling mouthwash, and taking antibiotics), 68.9% (95% CI 68.0%-69.8%) of participants answered that it was an effective method to prevent a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Although knowledge overall was similar across provinces, the percent of participants who answered the question on recommended care-seeking behavior correctly varied from 47.0% (95% CI 41.4%-52.7%) in Tibet to 87.5% (95% CI 84.1%-91.0%) in Beijing. Within provinces, participants who were male, were middle-aged, were residing in urban areas, and had higher household income tended to answer a higher proportion of the knowledge questions correctly. CONCLUSIONS This online study of individuals across China suggests that the majority of the population has good knowledge of COVID-19. However, a substantial proportion still holds misconceptions or incorrect beliefs about prevention methods and recommended health care–seeking behaviors, especially in rural areas and some less wealthy provinces in Western China. This study can inform the development of tailored public health policies and promotion campaigns by identifying knowledge areas for which misconceptions are comparatively common and provinces that have relatively low knowledge.

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Knowledge About COVID-19 Among Adults in China: Cross-sectional Online Survey

Journal of Medical Internet Research ◽

10.2196/26940 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 23 (4) ◽

pp. e26940

Author(s):

Fengyun Yu ◽

Pascal Geldsetzer ◽

Anne Meierkord ◽

Juntao Yang ◽

Qiushi Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Household Income ◽

Online Survey ◽

Western China ◽

Care Seeking ◽

Sampling Weights ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Recommended Care ◽

Care Seeking Behavior ◽

Seeking Behavior

Background A detailed understanding of the public’s knowledge and perceptions of COVID-19 could inform governments’ public health actions in response to the pandemic. Objective The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and perceptions of COVID-19 among adults in China and its variation among provinces and by sociodemographic characteristics. Methods Between May 8 and June 8, 2020, we conducted a cross-sectional online survey among adults in China who were registered with the private survey company KuRunData. We set a target sample size of 10,000 adults, aiming to sample 300-360 adults from each province in China. Participants were asked 25 questions that tested their knowledge about COVID-19, including measures to prevent infection, common symptoms, and recommended care-seeking behavior. We disaggregated responses by age; sex; education; province; household income; rural–urban residency; and whether or not a participant had a family member, friend, or acquaintance who they know to have been infected with SARS-CoV-2. All analyses used survey sampling weights. Results There were 5079 men and 4921 women who completed the questionnaire and were included in the analysis. Out of 25 knowledge questions, participants answered a mean and median of 21.4 (95% CI 21.3-21.4) and 22 (IQR 20-23) questions correctly, respectively. A total of 83.4% (95% CI 82.7%-84.1%) of participants answered four-fifths or more of the questions correctly. For at least one of four ineffective prevention measures (using a hand dryer, regular nasal irrigation, gargling mouthwash, and taking antibiotics), 68.9% (95% CI 68.0%-69.8%) of participants answered that it was an effective method to prevent a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Although knowledge overall was similar across provinces, the percent of participants who answered the question on recommended care-seeking behavior correctly varied from 47.0% (95% CI 41.4%-52.7%) in Tibet to 87.5% (95% CI 84.1%-91.0%) in Beijing. Within provinces, participants who were male, were middle-aged, were residing in urban areas, and had higher household income tended to answer a higher proportion of the knowledge questions correctly. Conclusions This online study of individuals across China suggests that the majority of the population has good knowledge of COVID-19. However, a substantial proportion still holds misconceptions or incorrect beliefs about prevention methods and recommended health care–seeking behaviors, especially in rural areas and some less wealthy provinces in Western China. This study can inform the development of tailored public health policies and promotion campaigns by identifying knowledge areas for which misconceptions are comparatively common and provinces that have relatively low knowledge.

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Home Remedies and Health Care Seeking Behavior among Care Takers of Under-5 Children in Rural Field Practice area of a Medical College: Focus Group Discussion

Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development ◽

10.37506/v11/i2/2020/ijphrd/194852 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 496

Author(s):

Cheluve Gowda G. K. ◽

Savitha Rani B. B. ◽

Krishna Iyengar ◽

Venkatesh P.

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Focus Group ◽

Group Discussion ◽

Health Care Seeking ◽

Care Seeking ◽

Medical College ◽

Field Practice ◽

Care Seeking Behavior ◽

Seeking Behavior ◽

Health Care Seeking Behavior

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Perceptions and Care Seeking Behavior of Obstetric Complication in Thailand

Kathmandu University Medical Journal ◽

10.3126/kumj.v10i2.7347 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 63-70 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

SK Sharma ◽

P Vong-Ek

Keyword(s):

Maternal Health ◽

Health Personnel ◽

Hard Work ◽

Obstetric Complication ◽

Traditional Practices ◽

Care Seeking ◽

Appropriate Care ◽

Care Seeking Behavior ◽

Seeking Behavior ◽

Poor Nutrition

Background Importance of maternal health has been recognized over the last decade, however information about the perception of illness and healthcare behavior of obstetric complication is lacking. Objective This study assesses women’s knowledge, perception, and experience of obstetric complication and care-seeking behavior and explores the factors associated with the morbidity and the constraints hindering them from seeking timely care. Methods Twenty one in-depth interviews on the perceptions, experience and care seeking behavior related to pregnancy and delivery of Women at Kanchanaburi Demographic Surveillance site of Thailand were conducted. A structured guideline was first prepared in English and translated into Thai language. An interpreter was hired to interview women at the Thai-Myanmar border to translate Thai into local language. A moderator note-taker, and interpreter were present throughout the interview period and tape recorded the conversation. Results In-depth interview revealed that even though quality maternal health care was accessible to most of the women, obstetric complication was prevalent and they were not seeking appropriate care specifically in highland. Too early and too late marriage, frequent child bearing, poverty, hard work, poor nutrition and traditional practices were the reasons for complications. Poor transportation, lack of health insurance, inadequate training of health personnel, poor health facilities and the perception that the complications are normal for pregnant women were the main reasons for not seeking appropriate care. Conclusions Perceived reasons for complications among women living in Kanchanaburi, Thailand were early marriage, frequent childbearing, hard work, poor nutrition and traditional practices. The constraints hindering them from seeking care for the complications were perceived to be the lack of access to health personnel, health facilities, and proper transportation. These issues seemed to be related to poverty. Kathmandu University Medical Journal | Vol.10 | No. 2 | Issue 38 | Apr – June 2012 | Page 63-70 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/kumj.v10i2.7347

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Trends of inequalities in care seeking behavior for under-five children with suspected pneumonia in Ethiopia: evidence from Ethiopia demographic and health surveys (2005–2016)

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-10232-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Gebretsadik Shibre ◽

Betregiorgis Zegeye ◽

Dina Idriss-Wheeler ◽

Sanni Yaya

Keyword(s):

Health Surveys ◽

Demographic And Health Surveys ◽

Care Seeking ◽

Health Seeking ◽

Under Five ◽

Under Five Children ◽

Care Seeking Behavior ◽

Seeking Behavior ◽

Index Of Inequality ◽

Suspected Pneumonia

Abstract Background Pneumonia is a leading public health problem in under-five children worldwide and particularly in Africa. Unfortunately, progress in reducing pneumonia related mortality has been slow. The number of children with symptoms of pneumonia taken to health facilities for treatment is low in Ethiopia, and disparities among sub-groups regarding health seeking behavior for pneumonia have not been well explored in the region. This study assessed the trends of inequalities in care seeking behavior for children under five years of age with suspected pneumonia in Ethiopia. Methods Using cross-sectional data from the 2005, 2011 and 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Health Equity Assessment Toolkit (HEAT), this study investigated the inequalities in health seeking behavior for children with suspected pneumonia. Four measures of inequality were calculated: Difference, Ratio, Slope Index of Inequality and Relative Index of Inequality. Results were disaggregated by wealth, education, residence, and sex with computed 95% Uncertainty Intervals for each point estimate to determine significance. Results The percentage of under-five children with symptoms of pneumonia who were taken to a health facility was significantly lower for children in the poorest families, 15.48% (95% UI; 9.77, 23.64) as compared to children in the richest families, 61.72% (95% UI; 45.06, 76.02) in 2011. Substantial absolute (SII = 35.61; 95% UI: 25.31, 45.92) and relative (RII = 4.04%; 95% UI: 2.25, 5.84) economic inequalities were also observed. Both educational and geographic inequalities were observed; (RII = 2.07; 95% UI: 1.08, 3.06) and (D = 28.26; 95% UI: 7.14, 49.37), respectively. Economic inequality decreased from 2011 to 2016. There was no statistically significant difference between male and female under-five children with pneumonia symptoms taken to health facility, in all the studied years. Conclusions Health care seeking behavior for children with pneumonia was lower among the poorest and non-educated families as well as children in rural regions. Policies and strategies need to target subpopulations lagging behind in seeking care for pneumonia treatment as it impedes achievement of key UN sustainable development goals (SDGs).

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