The proportion and determinants of appropriate health seeking behavior for febrile illness among caregivers of children under-five years in Butula sub-county, Busia county, Kenya.

BACKGROUND

Almost 10 million children under the age of five in Kenya, die due to fever-related diseases. In Busia, a county in Kenya, malaria accounts for 13% of all child fatalities under the age of five, a number higher than any other county. This study aimed to determine (a) proportion of appropriate health-seeking behavior and (b) determinants of health-seeking behaviors (HSBs) among their caregivers in Butula Sub-County, Busia County, as reported by the caregivers.

METHODS

This cross-sectional mixed-method study included 271 caregivers, 11 community health volunteers, and health facility workers in Butula Sub-County. Systematic random sampling for participants and purposive sampling for key informants were used. A questionnaire collected the data that was analysed using frequency and percentages and logistic regression.

RESULTS

Around seventy percent of caregivers reported seeking care for a child's fever within 24 hours. Individual factors that caregivers reported to influence appropriate health-seeking HSB were unemployment (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.217 - 0.593, p = 0.018), self-medication preference (aOR = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.054 - 0.363, p < 0.001), had atleast two children (aOR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.425 - 0.937, p = 0.042), and confidence in identifying fever (aOR = 7.0, 95% CI: 2.200 - 22.439, p = 0.001). Health-system factors reported to influence HSBs were facility too far (aOR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.526 - 0.914, p = 0.027), getting health education (aOR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.201-4.122, p=0.015), and facility level (aOR = 4.4, 95% CI: 2.015 - 9.750, p < 0.001). Qualitative findings found health system factors related to HSB as stockouts, facility distance, and staff workload.

CONCLUSIONS

Employment, multiple children, preferences to self-medicate, confidence in fever identification, facility level, distance to facility, and education are ky factors affecting caregiver's HSB. Policy and practice efforts should focus on these significant individual and health system determinants for HSBs among caregivers of children under five with febrile illness.