Caregivers Of Under-five Children Research Articles

Magnitude and determinant of healthcare-seeking behavior for childhood acute respiratory tract infections in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundAcute respiratory infections (ARIs) remain a major public health concern which become the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in children under the age of five. A large percentage of childhood deaths and complications can be avoided by seeking proper medical care. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the magnitude, and individual and community-level determinants of mothers’ healthcare-seeking behavior for their children under the age of five who had ARI symptoms in Ethiopia.MethodA secondary data analysis was conducted using the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Surveys(EDHS) with a total weighted sample of 643 under-five children who had ARI symptoms within two weeks of the survey. Due to the hierarchical nature of the EDHS data, a multi-level logistic regression model was used to identify the individual and community-level factors influencing mothers’ health care-seeking behavior for their children with ARI symptoms. In the multivariable multilevel analysis, those variables with a p-value < 0.05 were considered to be significant predictors of the outcome variable.ResultsHealthcare-seeking behavior among mothers or caregivers for children with symptoms of ARIs was 32.61% (95% CI: 29.08–36.33%) in Ethiopia. The ICC in the null model indicated that about 55% of the total variability of treatment-seeking behavior was due to differences between clusters. Child aged > 24 months [AOR = 0.35; 0.19–0.63], having primary education [AOR = 3.25; 1.27–8.32], being media exposed [AOR = 2.49; 1.15, 5.38], female household head[AOR = 3.90; 1.35, 11.24], and delivery at health institution[AOR = 2.24; 1.00, 5.01] were significant predictors of health care seeking behavior of mother for their children with ARI symptoms.ConclusionThere is poor treatment-seeking behavior for children with symptoms of ARI in Ethiopia with significant community level variations. The multilevel logistic regression analysis showed that improving mothers’ education, women’s empowerment, facilitating institutional delivery and media accessibility are critical to promoting health-seeking behaviors among mothers or caregivers of under-five children with ARI symptoms. Hence, concerned bodies should design targeted interventions that increase mothers’ or caregivers’ treatment-seeking behavior for childhood ARI to reduce child morbidity and mortality.

AMBA CUP: Ensuring Accuracy in Measurement of Volume of Water for Salt Sugar Solution or Oral Rehydration Solution Preparation in Diarrhea Management.

Diarrhea remains a major cause of under-five mortality globally. In 2016, it accounted for 8% of under-five mortality worldwide. Most of these deaths occur in developing countries. Fluid replacement using Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) or Salt Sugar Solution (SSS), has been the mainstay of diarrhea management. Gaps in knowledge and practice regarding the preparation of these solutions have been identified by various researchers. One challenge encountered by healthcare providers and caregivers of under-five children has been lack of a standard, easy to clean cup for measurement of accurate volume of water for ORS or SSS preparation. Soft drink bottles, which are currently being used, are difficult to clean because of their narrow necks. More so, the size and volume of these bottles change so often that non-numerate caregivers get easily confused. The aim of this paper is to introduce the AMBA CUP, an easy-to-clean cup that can be used to accurately measure one litre of water for SSS or ORS preparation.

Perceived quality of care for severe acute malnutrition management among caregivers of under-five children with severe acute malnutrition in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2022: a mixed-method study.

All the factors at the institutional, provider, and client levels have an impact on the quality of care. In low- and middle-income countries, poor quality of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) management at health institutions is a major contributor to child morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to determine the perceived quality of care for SAM management among caregivers of under-five children. This study was conducted in public health facilities that provide inpatient SAM management in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. An institution-based convergent mixed-method study design was implemented. Quantitative data were analyzed by using a logistic regression model, while thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. A total of 181 caregivers and 15 healthcare providers were recruited. The overall perceived quality of care for SAM management was 55.80% (CI: 48.5-63.10). Urban residence (AOR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.16-0.66), college and above level education (AOR = 4.42, 95% CI: 1.41-13.86), working as a government employee (AOR = 2.72, 95% CI: 1.05-7.05), readmitted to the hospital (AOR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.23-0.94), and length of hospital stays >7 days (AOR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.01-4.27) were found to be significantly associated factors with perceived low-quality care for SAM management. Additionally, lack of support and attention from higher levels of management, and lack of supplements, separate units, and laboratory facilities were among the factors that impede the provision of quality care. Perceived quality of SAM management services was low against the national goal of quality improvement to meet the expectations of both internal and external clients. Rural residents, those with more educational qualifications, government employees, newly admitted patients, and patients who stayed longer in hospitals were the most unsatisfied groups. Improving support and logistic supply to health facilities, providing client-centered care, and responding to caregivers' demands may help to improve quality and satisfaction.

Care seeking for under-five children and vaccine perceptions during the first two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Lagos State, Nigeria: a qualitative exploratory study

ObjectiveTo explore healthcare seeking practices for children and the context-specific direct and indirect effects of public health interventions during the first two waves of COVID-19 in Lagos State, Nigeria. We...

Prevalence, determinants, and reasons for malaria vaccine hesitancy among caregivers of under-five children in Nigeria: Results from a nationwide cross-sectional survey.

Malaria contributes to an enormous global burden of disease and mortality, especially in children. Approximately one in every four global cases and deaths from malaria occurs in Nigeria. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence and correlates of community hesitancy to the malaria vaccine, including the reasons for the hesitancy, following the approval of the RTS,S malaria vaccine by the World Health Organization (WHO). This was a nationwide cross-sectional online survey of Nigerian adults conducted from 20th October to 30th November 2021. Participants who replied 'no' or 'maybe' to a question assessing their willingness to accept the RTS,S malaria vaccine were considered "hesitant". We fit a multivariate logistic regression model to report the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the factors associated with vaccine hesitancy. Among 3377 total respondents (1961 [57.86%] males; mean age [SD]: 30[9.1]), 1010 (29.91%) were hesitant. Receiving information about the RTS,S malaria vaccine initially from healthcare workers (vs. the internet) (aOR:0.55; 95% CI:0.35-0.87) was significantly associated with lower odds of hesitancy. Conversely, earning a high income of over NGN100, 000 (vs.<NGN 30,000) per month (aOR: 2.10, 95% CI: 1.36-3.24), belonging to other religious groups (vs. Islam) (aOR:3.25, 95% CI:1.18-8.98), and having a family size of more than ten (vs.<5) (aOR:1.84; 95% CI:1.08-3.13) were significantly associated with a higher odds of hesitancy. The main reasons for vaccine hesitancy included fear of vaccine adverse effects (34.95%), availability of other malaria preventive measures (33.96%) and not seeing the positive effect of the vaccine in others first (32.97%). The findings of this survey provide a valuable blueprint for the development of targeted interventions to facilitate caregiver acceptance of the RTS,S vaccine.

Health seeking behaviour among caregivers of under-five children in Edo State, Nigeria

Aim: Timely and appropriate healthcare seeking behaviours if practiced by caregivers of under-five children can have a significant impact on child survival. This study assessed the knowledge of, and general health seeking practices among mothers of under-five children in Nigeria.&#x0D; Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among caregivers of under-five children in Edo State, Nigeria, in 2013. A multi-staged sampling technique was used to recruit respondents. Data collection was done by means of a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire adapted from UNICEF/IMCI household baseline survey questionnaire.&#x0D; Results: A total of 370 caregivers (mean age: 31.1±5.9 years) participated in the study. Almost all of them were females 368 (99.5%), 234 (63.2%) had secondary education and 283 (76.5%) were in the unskilled social class. Over 70%, 76%, 72%, 76% and 82% of participants did not know that being unable to eat/drink, fast breathing, blood in stool and convulsion, respectively, were symptoms of a child not feeling well. The place of primary care of children by caregivers was at home 142 (38.4%), chemist shop 91 (24.6%) and health facility 80 (21.6%). Cost and long waiting time were major reasons for not seeking care in health facilities.&#x0D; Conclusion: This study showed poor health seeking practices among caregivers of under-five children in Edo State, Nigeria. There should be continuous education of caregivers on recognition of danger signs in children and the need to seek appropriate medical care in health facilities.

Effect of health education on knowledge of home management of diarrhoea amongst caregivers of under-five children in Yenagoa, Nigeria.

low knowledge level of diarrhoea treatment, and appropriate use of oral rehydration therapy by caregivers, has been attributed to delay in commencing home management of diarrhoea. This delay in commencing home treatment; has led to preventable loss of lives arising from complications of diarrhoea, occasioned by lack of knowledge. Health education has been shown to help reduce delays in the commencement of home management of diarrhoea. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge of home management of diarrhoea among caregivers of under-fives in Yenagoa Bayelsa State and determine if educational intervention impacted knowledge of diarrhoea management among them. a quasi-experimental study which involved an intervention (given health education) and a control (not given health education) group. Using a non-probability convenience sampling technique, 220 participants were recruited. Informed consent was obtained from the participants, after which a 25-item knowledge-assessing structured questionnaire was administered to the participants in both groups to assess their background knowledge of diarrhoea and its home management. Thereafter, only the intervention group was trained using a training guide. At the second contact (one month later), the knowledge of participants of both groups was re-assessed with the 25-item knowledge-assessing structured questionnaire. Responses were scored and then converted to percentages, participants with 70% and above, 50 - 69%, and below 50% were considered to have ´good´, ´fair´ and ´poor´ level of knowledge; this was compared pre- and post-intervention. at first contact, the knowledge of home management of diarrhoea among the participants was poor in both groups (intervention 9.1%, control 8.2%). However, there was a significant improvement in the knowledge of home management of diarrhoea among those in the intervention group compared to the control group (intervention 95.5%, control 7.3%) (p=0.001), at second contact. the study shows that health education interventions are effective in strengthening diarrhoea literacy among caregivers of children less than five years of age. Public enlightenment through regular health education of caregivers and the use of mass media is recommended.

Factors associated with delay in treatment-seeking behaviour for fever cases among caregivers of under-five children in India: Evidence from the National Family Health Survey-4, 2015–16

BackgroundFever is one of the common clinical symptoms found among children suffering from various illnesses. India carries a substantial burden of febrile illness among under-five children which heighten the risk of malnutrition, mortality and morbidity. This study aims to determine the factors associated with delay in treatment-seeking for fever among under-five children in India.MethodsA cross-sectional study was carried out using the large-scale nationally representative data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4), conducted in 2015–2016. The data were collected by using four survey questionnaires i.e., Household Questionnaire, Woman’s Questionnaire, Man’s Questionnaire, and Biomarker Questionnaire. Delay in treatment-seeking was defined as taking a child for treatment after 24 hours of fever onset. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were performed to assess the factors associated with delay in treatment-seeking behaviour for fever in under-five children.ResultsIn India, 31.12% (n = 7229) of the caregivers sought treatment for children after 24 hours of the onset of fever. Findings show no significant differences in delay in treatment-seeking behaviour by age groups and sex of children. Multivariate analysis revealed that the odds of delay in treatment-seeking behaviour of fever were higher among children from the poorest wealth quintile (AOR: 2.06; 95% CI: 1.85, 2.31), belonging to the scheduled tribe (AOR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.24, 1.48), children who resided in rural areas (AOR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.07, 1.22), children from the northeast region (AOR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.14, 1.46), and children of caregivers who perceived distance to health facilities as a ‘big problem’ (AOR: 1.16; 95% CI: 1.09, 1.23).ConclusionThe study shows a high prevalence of delay in seeking treatment for fever among caregivers of under-five children in India. Delay in seeking treatment is associated with socio-demographic and socio-economic factors. Therefore, there is a need for intensified health promotion programs to sensitize caregivers on the importance of early health-seeking behaviour.

Health beliefs and (timely) use of facility-based care for under-five children: lessons from the qualitative component of Nigeria\u2019s 2019 VASA

BackgroundNigeria’s under-five health outcomes have improved over the years, but the mortality rates remain unacceptably high. The qualitative component of Nigeria’s 2019 verbal and social autopsy (VASA) showed that caregivers’ health beliefs about causes of illnesses and efficacious treatment options contribute to non-use/delay in use of facility-based healthcare for under-five children. This study explored how these health beliefs vary across zones and how they shape how caregivers seek healthcare for their under-five children.MethodsData for this study come from the qualitative component of the 2019 Nigeria VASA, comprising 69 interviews with caregivers of under-five children who died in the five-year period preceding the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS); and 24 key informants and 48 focus group discussions (FGDs) in 12 states, two from each of the six geo-political zones. The transcripts were coded using predetermined themes on health beliefs from the 2019 VASA (qualitative component) using NVivo.ResultsThe study documented zonal variation in belief in traditional medicine, biomedicine, spiritual causation of illnesses, syncretism, and fatalism, with greater prevalence of beliefs discouraging use of facility-based healthcare in the southern zones. Driven by these beliefs and factors such as availability, affordability, and access to and perceived quality of care in health facilities, caregivers often choose one or a combination of traditional medicines, care from medicine vendors, and faith healing. Most use facility-based care as the last option when other methods fail.ConclusionCaregivers’ health beliefs vary by zones, and these beliefs influence when and whether they will use facility-based healthcare services for their under-five children. In Nigeria’s northern zones, health beliefs are less likely to deter caregivers from using facility-based healthcare services, but they face other barriers to accessing facility-based care. Interventions seeking to reduce under-five deaths in Nigeria need to consider subnational differences in caregivers’ health beliefs and the healthcare options they choose based on those beliefs.

Health-Seeking Behaviour for Childhood Ailments in Caregivers of Under-Five Children in an Urban Resettlement Colony in Delhi, India

This explorative qualitative study assesses the health-seeking behaviour for childhood ailments in caregivers of under-five children in a low-income neighbourhood in Delhi, India during July-September 2021. A total of 17 caregivers (mothers) of eight male and nine female under-five children were enrolled, with the mother being the caregiver in most (94%) cases.Caregivers consulted on common childhood ailments from multiple sources, including family, neighbours, healthcare providers (both licensed and unlicensed), frontline workers, and local pharmacists. The internet was often used as a source of child health information due to its ease of access but often "confused" caregivers due to the presence of too much information.Health-seeking behaviour of caregivers for childhood ailments could range from self-medication, local pharmacist dispensing, and private and public healthcare providers. Factors that influenced preference for the healthcare facility or provider were accessibility issues (waiting time, queuing), perceived physician competence, and associated out-of-pocket expenses. Caregivers reported dissatisfaction with government health facilities because of shorter operational hours, overcrowding, suboptimal sanitation, queuing with limited seating arrangements, and occasionally discourteous health staff. Self-medication and over-the-counter use of antibiotics was high due to a lack of awareness of the challenges of antibiotic resistance or any perceived side effects.Preference for unlicensed practitioners for medical treatment was low and based on long-term familial beliefs and acceptance. However, traditional practitioners enjoyed a high level of trust in the community from shared cultural values, enjoining attenuation of the perceived non-biological agents of childhood illnesses through non-medical supernatural interventions.

Assessment of Knowledge and Attitude Regarding Risk Factors of Malaria Among Caregivers of Under-Five Children in the Buea Health District, South West Region, Cameroon

Aims: The study measured the level of knowledge and attitudes towards malaria and examined associated factors among caregivers of under-five children.&#x0D; Study Design: The study was community-based, descriptive cross-sectional.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in Buea Health District (BHD) from February to June 2020.&#x0D; Methodology: Data were obtained through face-to-face interviews with the caregivers of under-fives. The above mean scores were used to determine the level of knowledge. The attitude levels were measured by using 3-point Likert scales. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors associated with knowledge and attitude. SPSS software version 20.0 was used for analysis.&#x0D; Results: Out of the 390 respondents, 69.5% of them had a neutral attitude. Meanwhile, 27.7 % of participants carried a favorable attitude towards malaria and only 2.8 % of them had an unfavorable attitude, Caregivers of under-five children who scored below the mean score were 25.1 % which was considered having poor knowledge and above the mean score was 74.9% which was considered good knowledge. In the multivariable logistic analysis, caregivers with a primary school level of education were 4.1 times (AOR = 4.1, CI = 1.486-11.102) times more likely of receiving a high malaria knowledge score as compared to those with no formal education. Factors associated with caregiver's attitude level towards malaria risk were educational level and marital status which showed significant associations in the univariate analysis&#x0D; Conclusion: Caregivers of under-fives displayed a good knowledge of malaria risk factors. However, in these endemic areas for malaria, caregiver attitude was found to be unenthusiastic and unresponsive, and this poses additional challenges in reaching the malaria elimination goal. Thus, suggesting that educational messages during the campaign should be contextual to reach out to local communities to trigger a positive behavioural change.

Do the Caregivers Of Under-Fives Have Proper Health Care Seeking Behaviour for Their Children? A Study from Urban Slums of a City in Eastern India

Introduction: The morbidity and mortality among under-five children are many times higher in slums than more privileged urban neighbourhoods. This could be correlated with the caregivers’ behaviour too. Therefore, we intended to assess the health care seeking behaviour for their children among caregivers of under-five children in urban slums of Bhubaneswar city. Methods: It was a cross-sectional study conducted during Jan 2019 to April 2019 in Bhubaneswar, India. Data regarding health care seeking behaviour of 530 caregivers of under-five (U5) children residing in urban slums of Bhubaneswar, whose children suffered from any illness in last one month, were collected. Results: The most common childhood illnesses for which healthcare were sought were diarrhoeal diseases (30.4%) followed by respiratory infections (29.1%). A concept analysis of the predisposing factors was built up as “socio cultural context”, “economic context”, “education context”, and “individual preference” to know the health care seeking pattern. The health care seeking behaviour among the caregivers of under-five children was significantly associated with sex of child, size of the household, social group of caregiver, mother with mass media knowledge, age, education and occupation of mother, mother having BPL card, if suffering from chronic disease, decision making person for seeking health care, time lapse in approaching the health care facility and income loss due to U5 children illnesses. Conclusions: The challenge is to know about signs and symptoms of ill-health and to recognise when to seek health care services. Measures can be taken to promote awareness for seeking timely appropriate care. There is a need to develop locally adapted behaviour change communication interventions for childhood Illnesses.

Community acceptance, satisfaction, and support for case management of malaria of various degrees in selected rural communities in Ibadan, Oyo-State.

This study aimed to assess communities' perception and adoption of the evidenced-based malaria diagnosis and case management intervention targeted at under-five children. The effectiveness of trained Volunteer Community Health Workers (VCHWs) to diagnose malaria among under-five children using rapid diagnostic testing kit, provide treatment using Artemisinin Combination Therapy and rectal Artesunate were assessed. A qualitative evaluation study was conducted in October 2015. Communities in the 6 rural wards in Ona-Ara Local Government Area, Oyo State Nigeria. Caregivers of under-five children, community-based frontline health workers, and community leaders selected using purposively sampling. Nine Focus Group Discussions and 15 Key Informant Interviews were conducted using a pre-tested guide. Data were subjected to thematic analysis. It was disclosed that VCHWs promoted people's access to prompt and appropriate malaria treatment. The communities accepted the VCHWs; the reasons given for this included the following: effectiveness of VCHWs in case management of malaria; good inter-personal relationship with caregivers; and the positive health outcomes associated with services provided by them. In addition, community members expressed satisfaction with the VCHWs and provided them with all the support needed to function throughout the malaria case management intervention. The VCHWs considered the support as a great source of encouragement. The use of VCHWs to treat malaria was adjudged to be effective and considered acceptable to the communities. The adoption of the intervention and its integration into the primary health system by the government is advocated for in medically underserved rural communities. This work was supported by UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research & Training in Tropical Diseases, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland (project ID: A80550 [Nigeria] through funds made available by the European Commission (FP7) for research to improve community access to health interventions in Africa.

Willingness to Pay for Childhood Malaria Vaccine Among Caregivers of Under-Five Children in Northwest Ethiopia.

BackgroundMalaria, a protozoan disease caused by the genus Plasmodium, is responsible for serious illnesses and death across the world. RTS, S/AS01 (Mosquirix™) is a recombinant protein-based malaria vaccine valuable for the prevention and control of the disease. However, studies done so far on the willingness to pay (WTP) malaria vaccine have been inadequate to inform policy-makers.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the WTP for childhood malaria vaccine and associated factors among caregivers of under-five children from February to April 2019 in West Dembia district. A multistage stratified systematic sampling technique was used, and the contingent valuation method was used to estimate caregivers’ willingness to pay for the vaccine. AOR with 95% CI and less than 0.05 p-values were used to declare factors associated with WTP.ResultsOverall, 60.6% (95% CI: 56.60, 64.40%) of caregivers of under-five children were WTP for the childhood malaria vaccine at a price of US$ 23.11 per full doses. Urban residence (AOR=1.78, 95% CI: 1.04, 3.04), educational status (AOR=3.27; 95% CI: 1.07, 9.94) and vaccination experience for children (AOR= 2.12; 95% CI: 1.29, 3.48) were positively associated with the WTP. WTP for the vaccine was higher among rich households (AOR=3.15; 95% CI: 1.90, 5.22), caregivers who had the previous history of malaria attack (AOR=2.62; 95% CI: 1.68, 4.08), households with fewer members (AOR=1.59; 95% CI: 1.06, 2.40), and families more knowledgeable about malaria prevention and control (AOR=3.56; 95% CI: 1.83, 6.93) compared with their counterparts.ConclusionThe majority of the participants were WTP for the childhood malaria vaccine. A significant rise in willingness to purchase was observed at price below the profile price. Thus, it is of great value to policy-makers to understand the price sensitivity before setting the price of the vaccine.

Mosquito-Avoidance Practices among Caregivers of Children Under Five in Somolu Local Government Area, Lagos State, Nigeria

Malaria control efforts currently lay emphasis on reducing transmission by limiting human-vector contact. Meanwhile, Mosquito-Avoidance Practices (MAPs) have been shown to be sub-optimal in urban areas, especially among under-five children (U-5C), resulting in high child morbidity and mortality. This study was therefore designed to investigate MAPs among caregivers of U-5C living in Somolu; an urban Local Government Area (LGA) in Lagos State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 394 female caregivers of U-5C. The LGA was stratified into three layers based on the level of planning and drainage using a geographic information system (GIS). Data were collected using a semi-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire and were analysed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test at p=0.05. Mean age of respondents was 33.6±7.7 years. The proportion who mentioned mosquito nets as a MAP by strata were: S1-59.3%, S2-80.7% and S3-64.3%. Other MAPs reported included: spraying insecticide: S1-20.5%, S2-26.3% and S3-17.1%, shutting door after sunset: S1-9.6%, S2-10.5% and S3-11.4%, and clearing surroundings: S1-2.9%, S2-5.3% and S3-2.9%. Ownership of bed nets was: S1-76.0%, S2-75.4% and S3-68.6%, and out of these, S1-73.1%, S2-70.7% and S3-72.4% reported that their child slept under the net the night before the survey. The most common mosquito-avoidance practice among caregivers of under-five children was the use of bed nets, and this did not differ by level of planning and drainage of the study site. Therefore, strategies to improve and sustain the use of bed nets and to promote the use of other effective mosquito-avoidance practices should be encouraged.

Postpartum sex taboos and child growth in Tanzania: Implications for child care.

The social context and cultural meaning systems shape caregivers' perceptions about child growth and inform their attention to episodes of poor growth. Thus, understanding community members' beliefs about the aetiology of poor child growth is important for effective responses to child malnutrition. We present an analysis of caregivers' narratives on the risks surrounding child growth during postpartum period and highlight how the meanings attached to these risks shape child care practices. We collected data using 19 focus group discussions, 30 in‐depth interviews and five key informant interviews with caregivers of under‐five children in south‐eastern Tanzania. Parental non‐adherence to postpartum sexual abstinence norms was a dominant cultural explanation for poor growth and development in a child, including different forms of malnutrition. In case sexual abstinence is not maintained or when a mother conceives while still lactating, caregivers would wean their infants abruptly and completely to prevent poor growth. Mothers whose babies were growing poorly were often stigmatized for breaking sex taboos by the community and by health care workers. The stigma that mothers face reduced their self‐esteem and deterred them from taking their children to the child health clinics. Traditional rather than biomedical care was often sought to remedy growth problems in children, particularly when violation of sexual abstinence was suspected. When designing culturally sensitive interventions aimed at promoting healthy child growth and effective breastfeeding in the community, it is important to recognize and address people's existing misconceptions about early resumption of sexual intercourse and a new pregnancy during lactation period.

Basic Knowledge of Childhood Diarrhea and Health-seeking Practices of Caregivers of Under-five Childrenin Calabar-South, Calabar, Nigeria

Background: Diarrhea claims the lives of more children than malaria, HIV and measles combined. Prompt identification of symptoms of diarrhea by Caregivers and timely commencement of oral rehydration therapy using oral rehydration solution (ORS) or appropriate home available fluids are recommended corrective measures. This study was to ascertain the basick nowledge of childhood diarrhea and the health-seeking practices among caregivers of under-five children in Calabar- South, Calabar, Nigeria.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: Six wards were chosen from the 12 wards in the study area by casting lot. Ten streets were randomly selected from each of the 6 wards. Eleven compounds were selected randomly per street to give a total of 660 compounds. A household with an under-five child or children was randomly selected per compound and therefore 660 Caregivers were enlisted on giving consent. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data from respondents.&#x0D; Results: In this study, 638 (98.2%) of respondents had good basic knowledge of childhood diarrhea in under-five children, 12 (1.8%) had fair basic knowledge, no group was rated as having poor basic knowledge. Occurrence of childhood diarrhea was marginally higher among respondents with good knowledge of diarrhea (50.3%) than respondents with fair basic knowledge, (50%). In practice during advent of childhood diarrhea, some caregivers chose to seek health-care from traditional healers 6.1% (19), churches 1.9% (6), pharmacies 16.9% (53), patent drug stores 18.8% (59), hospital, 14.3% (45), or self medication at home 42% (132).&#x0D; Conclusion: Although most Caregivers possessed good basic knowledge of childhood diarrhea, there were constrains translating this knowledge into intervention practices due to inadequate presence. Of social amenity framework in the study area. Government and non Governmental authorities should make provision of social amenities such as hospitals, pipe borne water, waste disposal facilities, power supply, water drainagesetc, a priority.

Predictors of Health-Seeking Behavior for Fever Cases among Caregivers of Under-Five Children in Malaria-Endemic Area of Imo State, Nigeria.

Fever is one of the most common symptoms of pediatric illnesses; it is an important early symptom of malaria. Fever had served as the entry point for presumptive treatment of malaria among children in Nigerian. Appropriate HSB is important when seeking treatment for fever among under-five children; this will help for better prognosis because treatment will be initiated early. This study attempted to identify caregiver’s HSB for under-five children with fever. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Imo-State, Nigeria. Appropriate HSB was operationally defined as seeking treatment from health facility within 24 h of fever. Data were obtained using pretested self-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. Simple and multiple logistic regression were used to determine predictors of appropriate HSB. A total of 559 eligible respondents were recruited; 103 (18.6%) caregivers had appropriate HSB. The predictors of HSB are being male child (aOR = 2.760; 95% CI:1.536–4.958), the age of child younger than 27 months (aOR = 2.804; 95% CI:1.485–5.295), employed caregivers (aOR = 1.882; 95% CI:1.014–3.493), number of household members (aOR = 2.504; 95% CI:1.464–4.283), and caregivers who decided to seek treatment at early stage (aOR = 7.060; 95% CI:1.616–30.852). Only 18.6% caregivers practiced appropriate HSB for fever cases among under-five children. It is essential to educate caregivers and emphasise on early treatment of fever and appropriate use of health facilities for fever. The findings will be used to improve intervention at the community level and will be compared with follow-up data to evaluate their effectiveness.

Costs incurred by caregivers of under-five inpatients with community-acquired pneumonia at a university hospital in south-western Ethiopia.

BackgroundPneumonia is one of the commonest diseases among children in Ethiopia resulting in deaths and hospitalisations. The objective of the current study was to determine the cost incurred by caregivers of under-five children with community-acquired pneumonia admitted to the paediatric ward of Jimma University Specialized Hospital, south-western Ethiopia.MethodsAn institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 01 January to 28 February 2017, through interviews with caregivers. Data on costs incurred before hospital visit, direct medical and non-medical costs, and indirect costs incurred by caregivers of the children were collected. The collected data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23.ResultsAmong the 120 caregivers in the study, a median total cost of 304.5 Ethiopian birr (13.22 USD) was reported. This was mostly contributed by indirect costs associated with earnings lost by caregivers related to travel and stay at hospital with the children. Factors, including permanent residence, family size, hospital stay, wealth index, education and major occupation, were found to have statistically significant association with the level of cost incurred by caregivers.ConclusionThis study identified that a significant level of cost is incurred by caregivers of the children in the hospital, a majority of which was contributed by the lost earnings because of the time spent at the hospital with the children.

Effectiveness of video-assisted teaching on febril convulsions among primary caregivers of underfive children

The occurrence of febrile convulsion in childhood is common in 2 to 5% of children younger than age 5 years with a peak incidence in the second year of life. Recent evidence that suggests a small subset of children that present with fever may cause febrile convulsion. So appropriate parental action is necessary to prevent Febrile Convulsion and reduce complications. This Study is to Assess the effectiveness of video-assisted teaching on febrile convulsions among primary caregivers of underfive children at Sedarapet, Puducherry. Quasi Experimental one group pre test and post test design was used, in which 60 Primary care givers of Underfive children were assessed the KAP and video assisted teaching was administered and after a week Level of KAP was assessed using same structured Interview Schedule. Study revealed that, Video assisted teaching programme on febrile convulsion was found to be an effective, appropriate and feasible mode to develop Knowledge, Attitude and Knowledge on Practice of Primary caregivers of underfive children regarding Febrile convulsion at p>0.05.