AI Article Synopsis
- The study investigates what influences mothers in low- and middle-income countries to seek healthcare for their children under 5 with acute respiratory infections (ARIs).
- It used data from Demographic and Health Surveys across 29 countries, analyzing 16,893 cases of children showing ARI symptoms.
- Results indicate that factors like maternal education, household wealth, attendance at antenatal care, and community poverty significantly affect healthcare-seeking behavior, suggesting that targeting these aspects could improve health outcomes.
Article Abstract
Objectives: This study aimed to identify the individual- and community-level determinants of mothers' healthcare-seeking behaviour for children under the age of 5 years with acute respiratory infection (ARI) symptoms in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Study Design: Nationally representative Demographic and Health Survey datasets from 29 LMICs were used.
Methods: The study included 16,893 children aged under 5 years with ARI symptoms in the 2 weeks prior to the survey. A multilevel logistic regression model was used to examine associations between individual- and community-level factors with health-seeking behaviour for ARIs. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported as a measure of association.
Results: The overall prevalence of healthcare-seeking behaviour for ARIs among children under 5 years in LMICs was 58.83% (95% CI: 58.08, 59.57). Findings showed that mothers with primary or higher education (AOR = 1.20; 95% CI: 1.08, 1.33), and those residing in rich households (AOR = 1.32; 95% CI: 1.18, 1.48), attending antenatal care (ANC) visits (AOR = 1.53; 95% CI: 1.31, 1.79) and delivering at a healthcare facility (AOR = 1.28; 95% CI: 1.16, 1.41) were more likely to seek healthcare for ARIs. A higher level of community maternal education (AOR = 1.44; 95% CI: 1.24, 1.68) was positively associated with seeking healthcare for ARIs, while a higher level of community poverty (AOR = 0.83; 95% CI: 0.72, 0.96) was negatively associated with healthcare seeking for ARIs.
Conclusions: This study revealed that mothers' healthcare-seeking behaviour for ARIs was closely linked to modifiable risk factors, including maternal education, household wealth, use of maternal health services (e.g., ANC), as well as community poverty and literacy levels. Future interventions should consider these modifiable risk factors when developing strategies to improve child health outcomes in LMICs.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2024.08.028 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Combined associations of education and health literacy with preventive dental visits in patients with diabetes: a nationwide cross-sectional study.
Diabetol Int
January 2025
Teikyo University Graduate School of Public Health, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo Japan.
Aim: Oral health is important in patients with diabetes. While health literacy may promote preventive dental visits, the evidence is sparse among them. Additionally, because education is indicated as a determinant of health literacy, none clarified whether health literacy can mitigate educational inequalities in healthcare-seeking behaviors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnhancing healthcare utilization and reducing preventable hospitalizations: exploring the healthcare-seeking propensity of patients with non-communicable diseases in Rural China.
BMC Public Health
January 2025
School of Medicine and Health Management, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.13, Hangkong Road, Qiaokou District, Wuhan City, 430030, China.
Objective: Understanding healthcare-seeking propensity is crucial for optimizing healthcare utilization, especially for patients with chronic conditions like hypertension or diabetes, given their substantial burden on healthcare systems globally. This study aims to evaluate hypertensive or diabetic patients' healthcare-seeking propensity based on the severity of symptoms, categorizing symptoms as either major or minor. It also explores factors influencing healthcare-seeking propensity and examines whether healthcare-seeking propensity affects healthcare utilization and preventable hospitalizations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSleep apnea screening through a news portal using the STOP-bang questionnaire.
Sleep Breath
January 2025
Pulmonary Medicine, Universidad Austral, Hospital Universitario Austral, Pilar, Argentina.
Purpose: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects up to 936 million adults globally and is linked to significant health risks, including neurocognitive impairment, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic conditions. Despite its prevalence, OSA remains largely underdiagnosed. This study aimed to enhance OSA awareness and risk assessment using the STOP-Bang questionnaire in a telemedicine format.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPerinatal outcomes and predictors of placental abruption: a retrospective study in an Ethiopian tertiary care center.
Front Public Health
January 2025
Department of Epidemiology, St. Peter Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Background: Placental abruption is a critical obstetric condition characterized by the premature separation of the placenta from the uterus, leading to severe maternal and fetal complications. In Ethiopia, the maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality rates are alarmingly high, and placental abruption significantly contributes to these adverse outcomes. Despite its severity, there is a lack of comprehensive data on the burden, risk factors, and outcomes associated with placental abruption in the Ethiopian context.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFConsiderations and experiences with healthcare-seeking during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Denmark.
Scand J Prim Health Care
January 2025
The Research Unit of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark.
Aim: To (1) examine considerations before and experiences with GP contact during the first COronaVIrus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown among Danish citizens; (2) analyse the associations with sex, age, chronic disease, and socioeconomic factors; and (3) explore changes in healthcare-seeking behaviour post-pandemic.
Method: A total of 100,000 Danes aged 20 years or older, randomly selected in the general population, were invited to participate in a survey examining considerations and experiences with healthcare seeking during the first COVID-19 lockdown. Data were collected in spring 2022 and linked to register data on socioeconomic factors.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!