title: Therapeutic itinerary of severe malaria in adults admitted to a teaching hospital in Dakar, Senegal.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite prevention efforts, malaria remains a public health problem.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective study conducted between October and December 2010 that aimed to describe the therapeutic route of adults presenting with severe malaria prior to being admitted to Fann Teaching Hospital in Dakar, Senegal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 90 patients were included. The majority of them had consulted a public or private health care facility (92%) prior to admission. First consultation occurred on average two days after the onset of the disease. Self-medication (67.4%) and traditional medicine (26.1%) were the main causes of delaying care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early care and adequate management are needed to reduce malaria mortality.
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Fann, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Sénégal. sylviediop@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sylvie Audrey
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Diop
authors.forename: Cossi Angelo
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Attinsounon
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fortes-Deguenonvo
authors.forename: Viviane Marie Pierre
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Cisse Dialo
authors.forename: Moussa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seydi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012651:Self Medication / Q000379:methods; D012675:Senegal; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials