title: "It's not easy to acknowledge that I'm ill": a qualitative investigation into the health seeking behavior of rural Palestinian women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This qualitative study sets to fill a gap in knowledge by exploring the health seeking behaviour of rural women living in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt). The existing literature on the oPt has so far focused on unravelling the country's epidemiological and health system profile, but has largely neglected the assessment of factors shaping people's decisions on health care use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on a conceptual framework rooted in the Anderson behavioural model, we conducted 30 semi-structured interviews with purposely selected women and seven key informant interviews in three purposely selected villages in Ramallah district.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our findings indicate that women delay seeking professional care, use self-prescribed medications and home treatment, and do not use preventive and educational health services. Their health seeking behaviour is the result of the interplay of several factors: their gendered socio-cultural role; their health beliefs; financial affordability and geographical accessibility; their perceptions of the quality of care; and their perceived health needs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings are discussed in the light of their policy implications, suggesting that adequate health policy planning ought to take into considerations socio-cultural dimensions beyond those directly pertinent to the health care system.
authors.affiliation: UNICEF Bethlehem, West Bank occupied Palestinian territory, Heidelberg, Germany. lmajaj@unicef.org
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Majaj
authors.forename: Majed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nassar
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Allegri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018912:Arabs / Q000523:psychology*; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology*; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D008877:Middle East / Q000453:epidemiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012938:Social Perception; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*