Browsing by Author "Kassie, Genanew"

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    Magnitude of common childhood illness, healthcare seeking behavior, and associated factors in Efratana Gidim District, East Amhara, Ethiopia, 2020
    (Addis Abeba University, 2020-06) Kassie, Genanew; Firdawek, Ewnetu(MPH, PhD)
    Background: Childhood infectious illness mainly diarrheal diseases, febrile illnesses, and acute respiratory tract infection remain the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among children below five years. Delay and inappropriate healthcare-seeking practice of caregivers’ were the major reason for under-five child death in developing countries including Ethiopia. According to WHO, a timely healthcare-seeking practice can effectively save the lives of children by 20%, particularly from ARIs, and significantly minimize its morbidities. Objective: To assess the magnitude of common childhood illness, healthcare-seeking behavior, and associated factors in Efratana Gidim District, Ethiopia, 2020. Methods: A community based crossectional study was conducted from March 15 to April 15, 2020, among urban and rural respondents. Multistage sampling method was employed to a total of 661 respondents by using semi-structured questioner through face to face interviews. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were carried out to assess association between healthcareseeking behavior and predictive variables. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was used to measure the strength of associations and statistical significance was considered at p-value <0.05. Results: the overall two weeks prevalence of childhood illness was 24.1%, (95% CI: 21.1%27.3%) and 59.1%, (95% CI: 51.1%-66.8%) of caregivers sought treatment at health facility. Moreover, fever, cough, and diarrhea accounted for 16.9%, 16.8%, and 11% respectively. Caregivers’ level of education (AOR=2.56:95%CI: 1.09, 5.99) and residence (0.26: 95%CI: 0.09, 0.73) were significant factors for childhood illness and experience of child death (AOR=3.766; 95%CI: 1.726, 8.873), diarrheal symptoms (AOR=3.914; 95%CI: 2.043, 10.828) and access to transportation (AOR=3.352; 95%CI: 1.049, 10.710) were predictors of HCSB. Conclusion: the prevalence of common childhood illness was high however; treatment-seeking behavior of caregivers for childhood illness was low. Caregivers level of education and residence were significant factors for childhood illness and experience of child death, symptoms of diarrhea, and access to transportation were predictors of HCSB of caregiver for childhood illness. Therefore repeated health education on basic prevention of common childhood illnesses and health promotion strategies to enhance caregivers’ HCSB are critically important. .