title: Factors influencing healthcare utilization among children with pneumonia in Muntinlupa City, the Philippines.
abstract: We evaluated the factors influencing healthcare utilization among children aged < 5 years with pneumonia symptoms in Muntinlupa City, the Philippines. We interviewed 1,330 caregivers from 190 households per district in seven districts from March to April, 2009 using a standardized questionnaire to obtain information about demographic characteristics, access to healthcare facilities, and potential barriers to healthcare utilization. The mean age of the children was 32 months; 54.7% were boys. Seventy-four point three percents (n = 972) of caregivers stated when their child had pneumonia symptoms they brought them to a government health center, 14.1% (n = 184) went to a private clinic, 8.0% (n = 104) went to a hospital, 3% (n = 40) were treated at home and 0.5% (n = 7) received traditional medicine from a local healer. Caregivers required an average of 12 minutes to reach a healthcare facility. Reasons given by caregivers for their choice of healthcare facility were low cost (47.5%), availability and accessibility to transportation (29.6%) and perceived good quality of care (16.5%). In conclusion, nearly three quarters of caregivers interviewed brought their child with pneumonia symptoms to a government health center for treatment. Cost was the main factor influencing choice, followed by transportation availability and quality of care.
authors: Soon Ae
authors: SA
authors: Kim
authors: Maria Rosario Z
authors: MR
authors: Capeding
authors: Paul E
authors: PE
authors: Kilgore
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010679:Philippines / Q000453:epidemiology; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult