title: Health seeking behavior of the families of children with cataract attending an eye clinic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the health-seeking behavior of the families of children presenting with congenital and developmental cataract attending "Instituto Brasileiro de Oftalmologia" (IBOL), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Caregivers of consecutive eligible children were interviewed using a pretested questionnaire and medical records were reviewed to collect information about their health-seeking behavior and socioeconomic status in June and July of 2008.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from 70 children were gathered, from which 42 (60.0%) had bilateral disease. Fifty-eight (82.9%) cases were considered congenital and 12 (17.1%) developmental. Presentation delay was observed in 33 (47.1%) children. Having insurance (adjusted OR 0.17; 95% CI 0.04 - 0.82) and being the only child (adjusted OR 0.16; 95% CI 0.04 - 0.69) decreased likelihood of late presentation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Delayed detection and presentation for treatment of non-traumatic pediatric cataract are still significant problems in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Early recognition as well as prompt referral and appropriate treatment have to be improved, especially at the public sector.
authors: Pediatric Ophthalmology Sector, Instituto Brasileiro de Oftalmolologia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. claudoctor@hotmail.com
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Leite
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Zin
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D002386:Cataract / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors