title: Socio-demographic factors and appropriate health care-seeking behavior for childhood illnesses.
abstract: The objective of the study was to determine the influence of socio-demographic factors on healthcare-seeking behaviors for childhood illnesses. This cross-sectional survey was conducted among consecutively admitted acutely ill children in the Children Emergency Room of a Nigerian tertiary care hospital. A total of 168 respondents were surveyed out of which only 12 (7.1%) performed well with regard to all the four indicators of appropriate healthcare-seeking behaviors. Bivariate analysis showed significant association between high maternal education and early care-seeking, utilization of orthodox health facilities, and drug use at home (p < 0.001 in each case). Similarly, age of child <1 year was associated with early care-seeking, care-seeking outside home, and utilization of orthodox health services (p < 0.001 in each case). Logistic regression showed that high maternal education and high family socioeconomic status were strong predictors of early care-seeking and care-seeking outside the home. It is concluded that maternal age, maternal education, and family socioeconomic status are predictors of appropriate healthcare-seeking behaviors for childhood illnesses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Nigeria. tinuade_ogunlesi@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Tinuade A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Ogunlesi
authors.forename: Durotoye M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Olanrewaju
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education; D009549:Nigeria; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult