title: Healthcare-seeking behaviour in rural Ethiopia: evidence from clinical vignettes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the determinants of healthcare-seeking behaviour using five context-relevant clinical vignettes. The analysis deals with three issues: whether and where to seek modern care and when to seek care.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study is set in 96 villages located in four main regions of Ethiopia. The participants of this study are 1632 rural households comprising 9455 individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Probability of seeking modern care for symptoms related to acute respiratory infections/pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria, tetanus and tuberculosis. Conditional on choosing modern healthcare, where to seek care (health post, health centre, clinic and hospital). Conditional on choosing modern healthcare, when to seek care (seek care immediately, the next day, after 2 days, between 3 days to 1 week, a week or more).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We find almost universal preference for modern care. Foregone care ranges from 0.6% for diarrhoea to 2.5% for tetanus. There is a systematic relationship between socioeconomic status and choice of providers mainly for adult-related conditions with households in higher consumption quintiles more likely to seek care in health centres, private/Non-Government Organization (NGO) clinics as opposed to health posts. Delays in care-seeking behaviour are apparent mainly for adult-related conditions and among poorer households.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The analysis suggests that the lack of healthcare utilisation is not driven by the inability to recognise health problems or due to a low perceived need for modern care.
authors: Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Hague, The Netherlands.
authors: Anagaw D
authors: AD
authors: Mebratie
authors: Ellen
authors: E
authors: Van de Poel
authors: Zelalem
authors: Z
authors: Yilma
authors: Degnet
authors: D
authors: Abebaw
authors: Getnet
authors: G
authors: Alemu
authors: Arjun S
authors: AS
authors: Bedi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D057240:Patient Preference; D012424:Rural Population; D012923:Social Class
keywords: Health Economics; Primary Care