title: Factors affecting healthcare service utilization of mothers who had children with diarrhea in Ethiopia: evidence from a population based national survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Appropriate healthcare-seeking practices of mothers are important to prevent child death. This study aimed to investigate factors associated with mothers' healthcare services utilization for managing childhood diarrhea (CDD) in Ethiopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A secondary data analysis was performed using data from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey 2011. Binary and multivariable logistic regressions were carried out to identify factors associated with mothers' healthcare services utilization for CDD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  About 35% (95% confidence interval (CI): 32.67-37.33%) of mothers visited healthcare institutions (HCIs) for CDD. Those mothers with children aged 6-11 months were 2.16 times more likely to use HCIs for CDD (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=2.16, 95%CI: 1.32-3.53) compared to mothers who had children under 6 months of age. Urban mothers were 1.68 times more likely to use HCIs for CDD compared to rural mothers (AOR=1.68, 95%CI: 1.06-2.67). Those mothers who had information about oral rehydration salts (ORSs) were 2.66 times more likely to use HCIs for CDD compared to those mothers who had no information about ORS (AOR=2.66, 95%CI: 1.93-3.67). Mothers who attended antenatal care were 1.34 times more likely to use HCIs for CDD than mothers who never attended antenatal care (AOR=1.34, 95%CI: 1.04-1.74). Mothers who had postnatal checkups were 1.53 times more likely to use HCIs for CDD compared to mothers who had no postnatal checkups (AOR=1.53, 95%CI: 1.02-2.30). Those mothers who participated in community conversation were 1.67 times more likely to use HCIs for CDD than those mothers who had no information about community conversation (AOR=1.67, 95%CI: 1.15-2.39).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Healthcare services utilization for CDD was found to be poor in Ethiopia. Urban residency, older age of the child, awareness of ORSs, antenatal care attendance, postnatal check and attending community conversation were factors associated with healthcare services utilization for CDD. Interventions to improve mothers' healthcare service utilization for CDD treatment should target rural households. Promotions of appropriate CDD treatment during ANC, postnatal checkup and community conversation are the recommended interventions.
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. mulukenag@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Muluken
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Azage
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Madawalabu University, Bale Goba, Ethiopia. demewozhaile@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Demewoz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Haile
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003906:Developing Countries; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016015:Logistic Models; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011203:Poverty; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Africa; Public Health; Researcher