title: Child morbidity and care-seeking in Nairobi slum settlements: the role of environmental and socio-economic factors.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate factors that influence morbidity patterns and health-seeking decisions in an urban slum community. Data were collected between May and August 2003 as part of the ongoing Nairobi urban demographic surveillance system and were analysed to identify factors that influence morbidity patterns and health-seeking decisions. The results show that the factors that influenced morbidity were the child's age, ethnicity and type of toilet facility. Predictors for seeking health care were the child's age, type and severity of illness, survival of father and mother, mother's education, mother's work status and wealth class. The conclusions drawn show that economic resources fall short in preventing child illnesses where children live in poor environmental conditions. However, by enhancing access to health care services, socio-economic status is critical for mitigating disease burden among children in slum settlements.
authors.affiliation: Medical School, Department of Tropical Hygiene and Public Health, University of Heidelberg, Germany. robert.ndugwa@urz.uni-heidelberg.de
authors.forename: Robert Peter
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Ndugwa
authors.forename: Eliya M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Zulu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011204:Poverty Areas; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012499:Sanitation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*