Health seeking behaviours of female manual labourers towards febrile illness in Jos, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Occupation may affect health seeking behaviour. Very little is known about this behaviour in labourers. This study assessed the health-seeking behaviour of the female manual labourers to fever in Jos, Nigeria. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 300 female manual labourers from a randomly selected cluster in Jos, using a pre-tested interviewer-administered semistructured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using Epi info. Results: Fever episode was reported by 85 percent of respondents during the last one month before the survey. Forty-seven percent ‘observed’ the fever and hoped for self resolution. Home treatment was reported as the first response to fever by 23% and 49% of the labourers sought treatment for fever within the first 24 hours of onset. Early treatment-seeking pattern was reported among those who self-medicate, followed by those that visited pharmacy stores. Cost was the major reason for delay in seeking timely and appropriate care. Conclusion: Female manual labourers had poor health seeking behaviour.