Assessment of Health Care Seeking Behavior at Household Level in Sodo Zuria Wereda, SNNPR, Southern Ethiopia
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Date
2005-06
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Addis Abeba Universty
Abstract
Background: The processes involved in making decision to seek medical care are not fully
understood, and many researchers claim that availability and accessibility of health services are
the main factors affecting health care seeking behavior of individuals.
Objectives: To assess the health seeking behavior of household members, identify the role of
local healers in health care service provision, and describe the process of decision making to
seek health care.
Methods: A community- based, cross- sectional study, was conducted in January 2005 using
quantitative and qualitative dada collection methods. The study was carried out in Sodo Zuria
Wereda, of Wolaita Zone in Southern Nations and nationalities people region(SNNPR), south
Ethiopia. Stratified random sampling technique was employed to select households from rural
and urban area. Key informants were selected for in-depth interview using the ‘snow ball’
technique for the qualitative part of the study. The quantitative part used structured and pretested
questionnaires to collect data by interviewing the head of households. Households were
inquired about illness with regard to the members of the households in the preceding four weeks,
for utilization of health care services and perception about local healers.
Result: A total of 844 households were visited, of which 233 (27.6 %) were from urban and 611
(72.4%) were from rural areas. Perceived report of symptoms and utilization of health service to
illness was conducted in a sample of 824 households consisting of 5114 household members.
The prevalence of illness was 9.7% during a recall period of four weeks preceding the interview.
Sickness was associated with a family size above six. About 80.1% of those who reported illness
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had visited modern health care services. Of these 49.4% visited private health care providers and
48.6% visited public health facilities. Among sick individuals 47% sought health care within 1-3
days. Of the sick individuals 22.3% got injection, most of which was provided by health centers
(35.6%) and clinics (32.7%). About 20% of the sick individuals did not visit any health services,
mainly due to shortage of
money. There is low level of visit to traditional healers by sick individuals. 44.6% of doctors and
24.7% of nurses provided health care for sick individuals who visited the health care services.
Conclusion: There is a favorable health seeking behavior in the study area, with the majority of
sick individuals visiting modern health care providers within a few days of illness. There is high
number of injection provision at lower level of health care unit.
Recommendation: design the family consultation system ought to be employed as health
promotion and preventive actions, develop a system of health care provision for those who are
not able to get health care, the existing private health care unit utilization should be promoted
with due consideration of quality control system, and further exploration is needed for excess
injection provision in lower level of health institutions.
Key words: illness, sickness, traditional medicine, household, Kebele.
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Keywords
illness, sickness, traditional medicine, household, Kebele.