Determinants of mother’s health seeking behaviour during common childhood illness in a costal area of Bangladesh

Abstract

Background: The government of Bangladesh has committed to stop preventable child deaths in the country before 2035. Objective: To attain this, the government is promoting research-based interventions. This study aims to understand the determinants of health-seeking behavior of mothers during common childhood illnesses in the coastal areas of Bangladesh. Methods: A cross-sectional study and face-to-face survey interview using a semi-structured questionnaire was conducted from 384 mothers to explore determinants of mothers’ healthcare seeking behavior during common childhood illness. This study was conducted in two villages of Teknaf upazila (sub-district) in Cox’s Bazar district between February and August 2014. Results: Out of 384 mothers, 65.4% had reported illness in their children in the 14 days preceding the survey. Most of the mothers (48.6%) reported that their children suffered from fever, cough and cold, and 35.2% of them sought self-care or home remedy on the first action. Mothers’ awareness regarding the danger signs of childhood illness was poor. Moreover, mothers’ education, household monthly income, monthly expenditure on health treatment, and mothers’ knowledge regarding danger signs acted as determinants for mothers seeking formal care during childhood illness. Conclusion: Aiming to ending preventable child deaths, it is necessary to implement intervention focusing on improving maternal education and household income opportunities. More research to explore health seeking behavior encompassing seasonal variation and facility assessment are needed to understand comprehensively the determinants of health seeking behavior of mothers. Keywords: Health-seeking behaviour, Childhood illness, Mother, Healthcare, Determinants