title: Child malaria treatment decisions by mothers of children less than five years of age attending an outpatient clinic in south-west Nigeria: an application of the PEN-3 cultural model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Using the PEN-3 cultural model, this study sought to understand mothers treatment decisions about their child febrile illness by examining positive health beliefs and practices held by mothers, examine existential (unique) practices that are indigenous to mothers and have no harmful health consequences, and explore negative beliefs and practices that limit recommended responses to febrile illness in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  This qualitative study was conducted in the paediatric section of an outpatient clinic in south-west Nigeria. A total of 123 mothers with children less than five years of age with febrile illness diagnosed as malaria by physicians were individually interviewed on their treatment-seeking practices prior to visiting the clinic and their reasons for attendance at the clinic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For some mothers interviewed, effective treatment from the clinic for their child's febrile illness, coupled with physician's approach with malaria diagnosis and treatment practices was important in generating positive maternal treatment-seeking responses to child febrile illness. In addition, beliefs related to a child teething highlighted existential decisions with treatment-seeking for child febrile illness in this setting. Finally, the belief that febrile illness is not all that severe despite noticeable signs and symptoms was a concerning negative perception shared by some mothers in this study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings highlight the need to consider not only the responses that may serve as barriers to effective treatment, but also an acknowledgment of the positive and existential responses that are equally critical in influencing mothers' management of malaria in their children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, 315 Health and Human Development East, University Park, PA 16802, USA. jia111@psu.edu
authors.forename: Juliet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Iwelunmor
authors.forename: Oladipo
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Idris
authors.forename: Adeniyi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adelakun
authors.forename: Collins O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Airhihenbuwa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D009549:Nigeria
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials