AI Article Synopsis
- Diarrhea is a major cause of child mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting the critical need for timely medical treatment to improve health outcomes for affected children.
- A study analyzed data from 35 SSA countries, finding that only 58.71% of children under five with diarrhea sought healthcare, with various factors influencing their healthcare-seeking behavior.
- The research suggests that over 40% of these children lack access to medical care, emphasizing the need for health policy changes that focus on maternal education, improving healthcare access, and community awareness to address this issue.
Article Abstract
Background: Diarrhea is one of the leading causes of child death in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Children with diarrhea who do not receive medical advice or treatment are at high risk of poor health outcomes and increased mortality. Prompt and adequate treatment is essential to mitigate these risks. However, studies that have been conducted on the factors influencing healthcare-seeking behavior (HSB) for diarrhea in under-five children in SSA are scarce. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to determine the variables related to HSB for diarrhea in children under the age of five.
Methods: A secondary data analysis was conducted on the most recent data from the Demographic and Health Surveys in 35 SSA countries. The study included a total weighted sample of 51,791 children under the age of five with diarrhea. We presented the adjusted prevalence ratio and the 95% confidence interval in the multivariable multilevel robust Poisson regression analysis to show the statistical significance and strength of the association between HSB and its determinants.
Results: The pooled prevalence of HSB for diarrhea in under-five children was 58.71% (95%CI: 55.39 to 62.04). Factors found to be associated with HSB included maternal age, education and working status, antenatal care visits, postnatal checkups for the child, wasting, distance to a health facility, SSA region, and country income level.
Conclusion: More than 40% of under-five children with diarrhea in SSA did not receive medical advice or treatment. To improve healthcare-seeking behavior, effective health policy interventions are necessary. These include enhancing the education and employment status of mothers, promoting regular antenatal and postnatal care visits, building health facilities in close proximity, and raising awareness in the community about the importance of seeking healthcare services for malnourished children.
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| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11496129 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1441360 | DOI Listing |
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