title: Private sector drug shops in integrated community case management of malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea in children in Uganda.
abstract: We conducted a survey involving 1,604 households to determine community care-seeking patterns and 163 exit interviews to determine appropriateness of treatment of common childhood illnesses at private sector drug shops in two rural districts of Uganda. Of children sick within the last 2 weeks, 496 (53.1%) children first sought treatment in the private sector versus 154 (16.5%) children first sought treatment in a government health facility. Only 15 (10.3%) febrile children treated at drug shops received appropriate treatment for malaria. Five (15.6%) children with both cough and fast breathing received amoxicillin, although no children received treatment for 5-7 days. Similarly, only 8 (14.3%) children with diarrhea received oral rehydration salts, but none received zinc tablets. Management of common childhood illness at private sector drug shops in rural Uganda is largely inappropriate. There is urgent need to improve the standard of care at drug shops for common childhood illness through public-private partnerships.
authors.forename: Phyllis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Awor
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wamani
authors.forename: Godfrey
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bwire
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jagoe
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peterson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019090:Case Management; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003153:Community Health Services; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D010594:Pharmacies / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D017149:Private Sector; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult