scholarly journals Mother’s / care giver’s health seeking behaviour during childhood illness in an urban slum of Dhaka city

Pulse ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Mahejabin ◽  
S Parveen ◽  
M Ibrahim

Objectives: To determine the health seeking behaviour of mothers / care givers of children under 5 years of age during their illnesses.Materials and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 439 mothers/ care givers of under 5 year old children in an urban slum area of Dhaka city from September 2013 to February 2014. Data were collected through face-to-face interview by using a structured pre-tested questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. All analyzed data were presented in the form of percentages. Chi-square test was applied wherever applicable.Results: Out of 439 mothers / care givers, most (90%) of them sought health care services during their children’s illness. [A statistically significant association was found between mother’s /care giver’s education and sought health care services during illness of children (p=0.055). In the study, 200 (50%) of the respondents consulted drug sellers of medicine shops during their children’s illness. Others went to medical college hospital (34.6%), Government hospitals (13.5%), consulted a private practitioners (11%) and NGO facilities (6.3%). Forty (9.1%) respondents did not seek any health care with multiple reasons or responses. Majority (27, 67.5%) waited for self recovery, 21 (52.5%) had lack of money, 5 (12.5%) did not receive any advice to receive treatment. Four (10%) respondents said that the health care facility was too far to receive treatment and 3 (7.5%) respondents did not feel that treatment was necessary. [Health seeking behaviour of the mothers / care givers was statistically highly significant in educated person. They took the child to Govt. hospital (p=0.001) during illness. The relationship between health seeking behaviour and monthly family income of the respondents was statistically significant. The respondents took their child to medical college hospital (p=0.040) and also consulted drug sellers (p=0.038) during illness of the child.]Conclusion: Health education and behaviour change communication activities can be undertaken in the slum for mothers / care givers about early recognition of childhood illness and on the importance of seeking early treatment.Pulse Vol.7 January-December 2014 p.5-15

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 060-065
Author(s):  
E Peters Grace ◽  
N Ononokpono Dorathy ◽  
U Willson Nsikanabasi ◽  
I Oko Nnabuike ◽  
EJ Peters

Background: Obstetric fistula is a condition that results from obstructed labour, which occurs when the baby cannot pass through the mother’s birth canal because it either does not come head first or is too large for her pelvis. Prompt medical intervention, often including Caesarean section, permits a safe delivery for both mother and child. Despite this possibility, yearly, thousands of women across the country receive no such aid and their labour is a futile agony lasting between three and five days, with uterine contractions constantly forcing the baby, usually head first, against the organs of the pelvic and unyielding pelvic bone resulting in Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF). The main thrust of this study was to examine how health system factors affect health seeking behaviour of women with obstetric fistula in Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi States, Nigeria. Methods: Qualitative and descriptive research approaches were adopted for the study and a total sample of two hundred and sixteen (216) respondents comprising of one hundred and fifty (150) post fistula repair operative patients and sixty six (66) health workers were purposively selected using simple random techniques. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis and tables of frequency. Results: The respondents views showed that availability of treatment centre and quality of health care services influenced health seeking behaviour of women with obstetric fistula in Nigeria. Conclusion: The study indicated that health seeking behaviour of women with obstetric fistula is a major challenge in Nigeria. Establishment and proper equipment of obstetric fistula treatment centres as well as subsidization of the cost of treatment to allow women with this health problem to access health care services are strongly recommended. Therefore, government at all level and non-governmental organizations need to educate the women and create awareness on the causes and dangers of VVF.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Jill-Marit Moholt ◽  
Oddgeir Friborg ◽  
Nils Henriksen ◽  
Torunn Hamran ◽  
Bodil H. Blix

Abstract Community health-care services for older, home-dwelling persons with dementia tend to be underutilised. Family care-givers provide substantial care, and they often arrange for and co-ordinate health-care services on behalf of persons with dementia. The aim of this study was to examine family care-givers’ knowledge of unused services and their self-reported reasons for non-use of such services. We gathered cross-sectional survey data from 430 family care-givers of older persons with dementia in Northern Norway. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of family care-givers’ knowledge of unused services. An open-ended question regarding reasons for non-use of services was analysed by thematic text analysis. Characteristics of family care-givers (e.g. education level) and factors related to the care-giving circumstances (e.g. negative impact of care-giving) predicted family care-givers’ knowledge of unused services. Reasons for non-use of services were multifaceted and complex, and were related to attributes of the person with dementia and/or the family care-giver (e.g. reluctance to use services) and/or the health-care services (e.g. low quality). Although services were unused, several family care-givers indicated substantial needs for the services. Strategies aimed at addressing the non-use of services should emphasise individuals’ and families’ needs and the adaptation of information about available services and their benefits for both care recipients and family care-givers. A relationship-centred care approach is thus recommended in dementia care.


Author(s):  
Tuhin Kumar ◽  
Piyalee Pal ◽  
Prabhdeep Kaur

Abstract Background: Adolescents constituted 19% population of India in 2011. Adolescents have health seeking behaviour different from that of adults. We estimated the utilisation of available health care services by adolescents and awareness regarding various health issues in the urban and rural Dehradun District, Uttarakhand, India. We also described knowledge and practices of public sector health care providers. Methodology: We conducted a cross-sectional survey among adolescents 10–19 years in the urban Dehradun and rural Chakrata block of the Dehradun District. We used cluster sampling with sample size 680 each in urban and rural areas. We collected data from adolescents using semi structured questionnaire on health awareness and utilisation of health care services. Public sector health care providers were surveyed about their knowledge and practices regarding adolescents health. Results: We surveyed 1463 adolescents. The overall mean age was 14.4 (2.6) years, about half being females. Half of the adolescents who had any illness used the public sector. Awareness about anaemia was 48% in urban and 12% in rural areas. A higher proportion of females (Rural: 89%, Urban: 76%) were aware of condoms as contraceptives than males (Rural: 68%, Urban: 12%). Only 62% of doctors and 49% of paramedical staff had knowledge regarding services under Adolescents Reproductive and Sexual Health (ARSH). Conclusion: Awareness regarding various health issues was low among males as compared to females, especially in rural areas. School based health promotion programs should be carried out to increase awareness among adolescents. Health facilities should be strengthened to provide adolescent friendly health services to enhance utilisation.


2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 8-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sailesh Bhattarai ◽  
Surya Bahadur Parajuli ◽  
Rajan Bikram Rayamajhi ◽  
Ishwari Sharma Paudel ◽  
Nilambar Jha

noBackground & Objectives: Preventive, promotive, curative, and rehabilitative health care services depend not only in availability & accessibility of it but also on awareness and attitude of the people and various inter-woven social structure that determines in making choice. The objective of this study was to explore health seeking behavior and utilization of health care services in the rural places in VDCs of Ilam district of Eastern Nepal.Materials & Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in between period of March 25th 2013 to April 10th 2013 Fikkal and Pashupatinagar VDCs in Ilam district with sample of 300 people. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire.Results: One fifth of the populations were found to be seeking traditional healers’ service and 80 percent among modern treatment system were relying on private treatment facility for treating sickness. People who had lived more than 20 years in that place and who felt modern health services were costly were likely to use service of traditional healers. Similarly people suffering from chronic illness, having health facility more than 30 minutes and using stretcher or walking as means of transportation were using government health centers more compared to private services.Conclusion: Significant people still use traditional healers’ service and the government health facility utilization was low as compared to private. The people living for longer period in that place and having the concept that modern health centers are costly were primary user of traditional healing system. Health facility nearby or people who could afford for automobile travel facilities were using costly private health centers.JCMS Nepal. 2015; 11(2):8-16


Community level health seeking behavior needs investigation since community plays either protective or pathogenic role to health. This study, therefore, intended to examine the health seeking behavior of Afar using a community based cross-sectional survey design. The survey employed both quantitative and qualitative methods to collect relevant data. The findings revealed that a substantial number of participants have had misconceptions and/or erroneous knowledge about the causes and symptoms of illnesses. Besides, most of the participants preferred treatment service from modern health care institutions. Their choice is significantly associated with age and level of education. Moreover, various factors including cost, distance, attitude toward health, decision-making power on health, perceived satisfaction, social capital and socio-religious behaviour affect the utilization of available health care services. In general, the findings implied the presence of a positive health seeking behavior among Afar that can be further strengthened with interventions. The interventions should address the misconceptions about causes/symptoms of illnesses and promote appropriate hierarchy of resort to the utilization of available health care services.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naglaa M Gaber

Health-seeking behaviour has been defined as a sequence of remedial actions that individuals undertake to rectify perceived ill-health. Therefore, this study was to assess the barriers affecting seeking health care services as perceived by mentally and physically ill patients. A descriptive comparative design was utilized in this study. A sample of convenience of 100 patients (50 physically ill patients and 50 mentally ill patients) was recruited for the conduction of this study. Socio-demographic/medical data sheet, barriers affecting seeking health care services questionnaire were used for data collection. Findings of this study indicated that, near half of studied sample of patients with mental illness express severe level of difficulties in seeking health care services as compared to more than one third of patients with physical diseases. Meanwhile, more than one third of studied sample of patients with mental illness express moderate level of difficulties in seeking health care services as compared to two thirds of patients with physical diseases. To conclude no statistical difference was found between patients with mental illness and patients with physical disease in relation to barriers affecting seeking health care services. Further studies on a larger number of patients with different diagnoses from different geographical areas are recommended


Author(s):  
Neha Agrawal ◽  
Sandeep Kumar Uppadhaya ◽  
Afzal Hakim ◽  
Manish Mittal

Background: Maternal mortality reflects not only the adequacy of health care services of any country or state but also the standard of living and socio-economic status of the community. India is among those countries, which has a very high maternal mortality ratio; the state of Rajasthan having the third highest maternal mortality in the country. This study was done to assess the maternal mortality in a tertiary hospital situated in Jodhpur, a city in Western Rajasthan where large numbers of patients are referred from rural parts in and around the city.Methods: This study was done to assess the trends in maternal mortality at a tertiary medical college hospital situated in Western Rajasthan. A retrospective hospital based study was carried out in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of Ummaid hospital, Dr S. N. Medical College situated in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India over a period of 4 years from July 2010 to June 2014.Results: During the study period spanning 4 years, there were in total 84,746 live births with 195 maternal deaths. The mean maternal mortality ratio for the four year period was found to be 230.1 per lakh live births.Conclusions: The maternal mortality was quite high than the national average.


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