scholarly journals Health Seeking Behaviour of Afar Pastoral Community

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.

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 1017-1021
Author(s):  
Benjamin Ojotu ◽  
◽  
Thomas Adubika ◽  

Nigeria is witnessing a disturbing rise of violence occasioned by religious, political, economic, cultural, and social motives. The incidence of violent crimes has created an unimaginable insecurity situation in the country, and the trend is increasing daily. Violent insecurity ranges from kidnapping, rape, armed robbery, terrorism, banditry, and assassinations. Meanwhile, the citizens, especially the younger ones, are caught in the center of these violent situations as they are either used to commit crimes or fall victims of violent crimes. Thus, the primary purpose of this study was to examine health-seeking behavior as a factor that could predict security consciousness among adolescents. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design. Two hundred samples randomly pooled from public tertiary institutions in Kogi State, Nigeria, participated in the study. The participants completed self-report measures of security consciousness questionnaire and health-seeking behavior scale. A simple regression model established a statistically significant association between HSB and security consciousness among adolescents. The study concludes that health-seeking behavior is an essential determinant of security consciousness. The practical implication of the study is discussed.


Author(s):  
Syeda Jesmin Rahman ◽  
Bishnu Ram Das ◽  
Gunjan Nath

Background: Numerous factors are associated with the access and utilization of health care services. These factors along with the preferences of the farmers are responsible for the health seeking behavior of farming community. This study aims to understand the health seeking behavior of the farmers and the factors influencing their behaviour in a rural block of Assam. Methods: A community based cross sectional study was done in a rural block of Jorhat district, Assam among a sample of 400 farmers. A pre designed pretested proforma was used to collect the data. Information was obtained on the demographic variables, health seeking behavior and the factors that may affect health seeking behavior. Results were analyzed using percentage and proportions. Results: The study revealed that respiratory tract infection (54.25%) was the most common cause of morbidity among farmers followed by musculoskeletal problems (23.25%) and gastrointestinal tract ailments (11.75%). Majority of the farmers preferred the government health facilities (62%) than the private practitioners (17%) for seeking treatment. Around 64% respondents sought health care only when their health conditions were severely affected. Financial constraints (43.25%) and lack of time (29.25%) was observed to be major impediment in utilization of health care services. Children were given most priority in seeking treatment at the time of illness (68.75%). Conclusions: Government health care facilities were preferred by most respondents due to low cost of services. Behavior seeking healthcare was mostly influenced by financial constraints. 


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerili Zaya ◽  
Shijia Li ◽  
Jingyu Pan ◽  
Jinyu Zhang ◽  
Anita Näslindh-Ylispangar ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Though relevant education and clinical practice could promote health-seeking behavior, nurses and nursing students may not actively seek healthcare. Methods This was a cross-sectional study using an adaptation of the self-reported Health Behavior Questionnaire (HBQ) including sociocultural background, lifestyle, self-assessment of life, health care utilization, and health counseling. 199 valid samples were acquired by convenient sampling. Univariate analysis, Spearman rank correlation, Pearson correlation, and multivariate linear regression were used to analyze the data. Results Cultural background, living with family, employment, most items in lifestyle, and all items in perceived life status were correlated with health-seeking behavior. A multivariate linear regression verified the influence of alcohol consumption, financial situation, and work situation on the experience of health care utilization, as well as the influence of physical health and interpersonal relationship on the experience of health counseling. Conclusions Less alcohol consumption, better financial situation, and better work situation are positively correlated with health care utilization. Better physical health and sounder interpersonal relationships can improve health counseling. The effect of other factors needs further exploration. Cohort studies could be used to investigate the long-term change in health-seeking behavior.


Author(s):  
Okechwukwu Felix Erondu ◽  
Michael Promise Ogolodom ◽  
Awajimijan Nathaniel Mbaba ◽  
Aniebo Nonyelum

Background: COVID-19 pandemic was associated with pandemonium and misinformation, affecting patients' health-seeking behavior. This study was designed to explore patients' perceptions of hospital care during this period and to provide evidence-based and appropriate public health planning strategies. Materials and Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 155 patients using 22 items structured and self-completion questionnaires to determine (A) Socio-demographic variables, (B) Knowledge and perception of the disease, and (C) The participants’ behaviors towards COVID-19. A Hardcopy version of the questionnaire was administered to the respondents by direct issuance. Results: 103(66.45%) of the respondents knew the cause of COVID-19, while 104 (67.09%) agreed that people can be infected with COVID-19 in the hospital.  84 (54.19%) were afraid of a hospital visit and 66 (42.58%) are unwilling to self-report if they have minor symptoms. A large number 43(27.74%) perceived a clean environment as the impetus to make them comfortable in the hospital. Conclusion: Our study illuminates gaps in the patients’ perceptions of hospital care during the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted negatively on the patient population as they avoided hospitalization for fear of contracting COVID-19 in the hospital. Furthermore, appropriate public health strategies can improve patients’ perceptions and health-seeking behavior in a pandemic period.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadine Misago ◽  
Desire Habonimana ◽  
Ann Alero Roberts ◽  
Patrick Bitangumutwenzi

Abstract Background3502 Congolese refugees based in Bujumbura possess the United Nations Higher Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) health insurance covering primary health care needs offered by CMC SOLIS clinic. This study sought to assess the quality of health care services received by Congolese refugees and determine factors affecting satisfaction. MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted on 400 refugees visiting CMC SOLIS for health care from June to August 2018. A questionnaire based on SERQUAL tool composed of five health quality dimensions was used to collect data on reliability, tangibility, assurance, responsiveness, and empathy. Logistic models were used to determine factors affecting satisfaction. ResultsOverall, 43% of refugees reported satisfaction with health care services. Age and gender significantly determined overall satisfaction. Other determinants such as education did not have significant effects. ConclusionsOverall, results from this study claim that CMC SOLIS does not offer quality health care services to Congolese refugees living in Bujumbura. Most importantly, the quality of health care services worsened with an increasing age as older ages were associated with less likelihood of satisfaction. Also, health care services offered to females seem to be deficient. Trial registration: N/A


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


2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deon V. Canyon

This paper reports on an investigation into five risk prevention factors (technology, people, organisational structure, culture and top management psychology) to inform organisational preparedness planning and to update managers on the state of health care services. Data were collected by means of a 10-question, cross-sectional survey of key decision-making executives in eight different types of 75 health care organisations. Many organisations were found to have deficient risk prevention practices and allied health organisations were considerably worse than health organisations. Forty per cent of hospitals and chiropractic practices had out-dated or poor technology. Results on organisational culture and structure found that many executives associate these factors with risk prevention, but none of them appreciate the relationship between these factors and crisis causation. Gaps and areas for improvement are identified and a change in top management attitude is recommended to address resource allocation and implement appropriate risk prevention systems and mechanisms. Reactive managers need to increase their awareness of risks in order to become capable of preventing them. Proactive managers are those who invest in risk prevention.


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


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Onyemocho Audu ◽  
Ishaku Bako Ara ◽  
Abdujalil Abdullahi Umar ◽  
Victoria Nanben Omole ◽  
Solomon Avidime

Household expenditure on health has increasingly remained a major source of health care financing in Nigeria despite the introduction of several social health scheme policies provided by the government for meeting the health care costs of patients. Recognizing these limitations, this study assessed the type of health care services people commonly use in various illnesses and the sociodemographic correlates of the preferred health care services by household heads in six rural communities of North Central Nigeria. A cross-sectional community-based descriptive study design was used to study 154 household heads in the settlements using a multistage sampling method. Multiple logistic regressions were performed to investigate independent predictors that had significant chi-square atP<0.05. The leading causes of illness experienced by respondents were medical conditions (42.0%) and 41.7% of them sought treatment from patent medicine vendors. The dominant reasons for health-seeking preferences were financial access (53.7%) and proximity (48.6%). Age had a higher impact (Beta = 0.892) on the health-seeking preferences of the respondents as compared to their occupation and religion (Beta = 0.368 and −0.746, resp.). Therefore, in order to meet the health care of patients, it is pertinent that the unmet needs of patients are properly addressed by appropriate agencies.


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