Abstract: Maternal health seeking behaviours in humanitarian and development prisms affect the children and their mothers immensely. Failure or delays in seeking proper health care for children in developing countries results to significant numbers of deaths attributed to high diarrhoea morbidity. The study examined patterns of health seeking behaviour of caregivers in prevention of diarrhoea morbidity. Statistics confirm higher diarrhoea morbidity in Nyanza twice the rate from Central Kenya in children under five despite a national decline from previous years. The study thus sought to explore health-seeking behaviour of caregivers of children under five years facing diarrhoea in Homabay County.
A descriptive cross sectional study design was used in the study. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informants interview (KII) were employed as data collection instruments. A sample size of 384 households was used with 10% to account for non response was incorporated. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 20 was used for the analysis of quantitative data. Qualitative data from both questionnaire and Key Informants interview guide were triangulated. Open-ended questions were also analysed through a quantitative content analysis. Chi square test with statistical significance set at α<0.05 was used to test relationship between categorical variables, odds ratio calculated at 95% confidence intervals (CI).
Delayed health seeking behaviour was evident from majority of the respondents (68.4%) who sought healthcare more than a day after the onset of diarrhoeal incidences. There was no significant relationship between knowledge of diarrhoea and awareness of the danger signs α = 0.31, 33.8%. Children experienced diarrhoea at a frequency of 3 episodes per day and 3-4 per day, ORS was used by 60% of the respondents, 39% used ORS + Zinc for treatment. Poor health-seeking behaviour was evident and the study attributed it to diminished finances, few health facilities and poor services in them. The study recommends enhanced community knowledge, better practices for identification and mitigation of danger signs to improve diarrheal management in children.
Keywords: Health care seeking behaviour, children under five years, caregivers, health facilities.
Title: Health Seeking Behaviour Determinants among Caregivers of Children Facing Diarrhoea in Homabay County, Kenya
Author: Charles N.Orora, John F. Obiri, Nicholas K.Ombachi
International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research
ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online)
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