Abstract:
Introduction: Health seeking behavior determines how a community uses health services.
Timely and appropriate health seeking behaviors if practiced by caregivers of children with
severe respiratory infection can have a significant impact on child survival.
Aim: This study aimed to examine the health seeking behaviors of parents/caretakers for their
children with respiratory infections in referral hospital in Rwanda to analyze the associated
factors.
Methods: This study used a cross sectional study design. Data was collected by using a
structured questionnaire. A sample size of 149 participants was used. Ethical approval was
obtained from Institutional Review Board of University of Rwanda, College of Medicine and
Health Sciences. The study was conducted in a selected referral hospital in Rwanda from
March 2017 to April 2017.
Results: Out of 149 caretakers, 122 (81.9%) were mothers, majority (67.1%) were aged more
than 30 years old, 49 (32.9%) of them were illiterate and 53(35.6%) belonged in the Lower
class (category 1). Out of 149, 86 (58.6%) children were previously treated and (42.4%)
children were brought directly to the OPD. Treatment was taken from pharmacy in 44.3% of
all cases. Only (5.3%) reported health center as the first place of call for health care sought by
respondents in the treatment of children. Around 43% sought care within 24 h of the onset of
illness while eighty-three (56%) sought care after two days of the onset of illness. It was
found that 59.7% of all participants were not aware of any danger signs. Factors associated
with time lapse in approaching the source from where treatment was taken or first port of call
for health care sought by respondents in the treatment of children were caregiver’s age
category (p-value=0.021), Care giver's Educational Level (p-value=0.017), caregiver’s
occupation (p-value=0.028), wealth quintile (p-value=0.041), children’s age category (pvalue=
0.008), children’s birth order (p-value=0.010), awareness of danger (p-value=0.025)
and satisfaction with welcoming (p-value=0.017).
Conclusion: There was poor health seeking behaviors of parents/caretakers of children with
severe respiratory infection. This was evidenced by delay of time lapse in sought of care from
onset of illness and home treatment from entrusted sources of care. Furthermore,
parent/caretaker educational level, age, wealth and danger signs awareness was strongly
associated with poor health seeking behaviors, and caregiver occupation, the child’s age and
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birth order demonstrated strong association for poor health seeking practices. This directs the
education to be focused on specific target groups.
