Health Care Seeking Behavior among Caregivers of Sick Children Who Had Severe Malarial Anaemia

Aims: The western region in Kenya is holoendemic to malaria and experience stable P. falciparum malaria transmission. The use of health care options has a direct influence on the outcome of severe malaria. As such, the current study will assess the health care seeking behavior among caregivers of sick children who had severe malarial anaemia (SMA) in western Kenya. Study Design: Cross section study. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at Jaramogi Odinga Oginga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) between September 2014 to July 2015. Methodology: It was open to all children ≤10 years (n=271) admitted and diagnosed with SMA (hemoglobin <5.0 g/dl and any density of P. falciparum. Caregivers were interviewed on the health care options before seeking care at a heath facility, when the child started to get sick, if they took child to another health centre/dispensary/private hospital before coming to JOOTRH Results: Majority of the caregivers interviewed, 80.07% (217) had attained Primary education. Majority of the caregivers were in the age category of 19-24 75(27.67%) years and 25-29 years 75 (27.67%). 74.90% (203) of their children were below five years and 25.09% (68) were above 5 years. 61.62% (167. Majority of the caregivers gave some remainder drugs before presenting to a heath facility 32.5% (88). A good number bought drugs at drug stores/pharmacies 27.7% (75). None visited a traditional healer. A minority used herbs 10% (27). There were no statistically significant differences between most of the pre-hospitalization measures taken s with regard to patient’s gender and age, and caretaker’s level of education. Caregivers who chose to give herbs to their sick children took longer in deciding to take their children to hospital. This was however statistically significant between those who used herbs and those who bought drugs only (median 4 days vs. 3 days, respectively, p = 0.0063). There was no significant difference in the delay of child admission at JOOTRH between caregivers who had had primary education only and those with a minimum of secondary education (p = 0.9842). Conclusion: Self-medication is a common practice before seeking care at a heath facility. There is need for community awareness for correct and comprehensive information about drawbacks associated with self-medication practices. Since safety continues to be a major issue with the use of herbal remedies, it becomes imperative, therefore, that relevant regulatory authorities put in place to ensure that all herbal medicines are safe and of suitable quality.

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Health Care Seeking Behavior among Caregivers of Sick Children Who Had Cerebral Malaria in Northwestern Nigeria

Malaria Research and Treatment ◽

10.1155/2012/954975 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2012 ◽

pp. 1-4 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Edwin E. Eseigbe ◽

Jane O. Anyiam ◽

Gboye O. Ogunrinde ◽

Robinson D. Wammanda ◽

Hassan A. Zoaka

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Cerebral Malaria ◽

Care Seeking ◽

Antimalarial Therapy ◽

Care Seeking Behavior ◽

Seeking Behavior ◽

Health Care Options ◽

Sick Children ◽

Health Care Seeking Behavior ◽

Patent Medicine

Cerebral malaria is a significant cause of childhood morbidity in our region. The challenges of effective management include time and quality of treatment. The study appraised the health care seeking behavior of caregivers of sick children who developed cerebral malaria, in Zaria, northwestern Nigeria. Caregivers indentified were parents 29 (87.9%) and grandparents 4 (12.1%). Most of them were in the upper social classes. Health care options utilized before presentation at our facility were formal health facility 24 (72.7%), patent medicine seller 12 (36.4%), home treatment 10 (30.3%), and herbal concoction 6 (18.2%) with majority 24 (72.7%) using more than one option. Antimalarial therapy was instituted in 25 (75.6%) of the cases. Mortality was significantly associated with the use of herbal concoction, treatment at a formal health facility and patent medicine seller, multiple convulsions, age less than 5 years, and noninstitution of antimalarial therapy before presentation. The study showed use of inappropriate health care options by caregivers and highlighted the need to pursue an awareness drive among caregivers on the use of health care options.

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Self Medication and Associated Health Care Seeking Amongst Mothers of Children Aged Under 5 with Diarrhea and Respiratory Tract Infections in an Urban Slum

Proceedings of Shaikh Zayed Medical Complex Lahore - October to December ◽

10.47489/p000s342z7481-6mc ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 34 (2) ◽

pp. 26-31

Author(s):

Rabbiya Sarwar

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Developing Countries ◽

Respiratory Illness ◽

Urban Slum ◽

Health Care Seeking ◽

Care Seeking ◽

Self Medication ◽

Care Seeking Behavior ◽

Seeking Behavior ◽

Health Care Seeking Behavior

Introduction: Self-medication practice in childhood illnesses is quite common in developing countries. Self-medication practices are found to be influencing healthcare seeking behavior in developing countries. Aims & Objectives: To assess self-medication practices and its association with health care seeking in mothers of children aged under 5 with diarrheal and respiratory illness episodes residing in an urban slum. Place and duration of study: A cross-sectional analytical study conducted in Samsani-khui, an urban slum in district Lahore, from September 2016- February 2017. Material & Methods: 422 mother-child units (only one child aged under 5 years) were recruited through systematic random sampling. Responses were recorded on a structured, self-constructed questionnaire about self-medication practices of mothers for the selected child during last 6 months in acute episodes of diarrhea or respiratory illness. Data was entered and analyzed on SPSS version 21. Fisher’s exact test was applied. Results: Mean age of mothers was 26.81 ± 4.744 years, 16% were illiterate, 44.3% had attained primary education and 92.65% were housewives. 70.62% children included in study were boys. 61.8% mothers never practiced self-medication in their child whereas 38.2% administered medicines occasionally, frequently or every time the child got ill. 92.5% of the mothers practicing self-medication admitted that self-medication is responsible for delay in health care seeking. Out of these mothers, 59% sought formal health care without delay for their child suffering from diarrhea or RTI during last 6 months. 70.8% children recovered completely after practicing self-medication, as reported by mothers. While 23.0% reported late recovery, 3.1% reported complications and 3.1% reported hospitalization after self-medication. A highly significant association was found between practice of self-medication and health care seeking behavior (p=.001). Conclusion: Practice of self-medication is present in one third of mothers of low income, literacy poor families. Mothers of this stratum showed poor perception about self-medication and as well as treatment delay. Self-medication practice strongly affects health care seeking behavior.

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