title: Treatment-seeking behaviour for childhood fever among caretakers of Chivuna and Magoye rural communities of Mazabuka District, Zambia: a longitudinal study.
abstract: Treatment-seeking for childhood fever among caretakers in most rural parts of African region is still a major challenge. The aim of this study was to determine the treatment seeking behaviour for fever in under-5 children of Magoye and Chivuna rural areas of Mazabuka district in Zambia.
  
  
  
  Treatment-seeking behaviour was explored longitudinally among caretakers of 362 children aged 12-59 months with fever. The data was collected from caretakers using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire at their homes. Chi-square test, one-sample test of proportions and logistic regression were the statistical methods used for data analysis.
  
  
  
  Of the 362 children with fever, 77 % of them had their treatment sought externally. In which 64 % had their treatment at health facility (HF), 18 % from community health workers (CHW), and 18 % from other sources. Early treatment (≤ 24 h) was sought for 42 % of the fever episodes. In dry season, a child had 1.53 times more likely to have early treatment compared to rainy season [OR 1.53; 95 % CI 1.30, 1.80; p < 0.001]. A child in Chivuna was less likely to have early treatment compared to one in Magoye [OR 0.62; 95 % CI 0.50, 0.76; p < 0.001]. Caretakers had a reduced chance of 27 % [OR 0.73; 95 % CI 0.56, 0.95; p = 0.022] of seeking early treatment if they took a child to other sources compared to a HF.
  
  
  
  This study has revealed that seeking early and appropriate treatment was suboptimal in the study areas. Source of treatment, season and location were predictors of early treatment of fever among caretakers. Policies aimed at combating poor care-seeking behaviour should not omit to address these factors.
authors: Ministry of Health, P.O Box 30205, Lusaka, Zambia. benmalambo@gmail.com.|School of Medicine, Department of Public Health, The University of Zambia, P.O. Box 50110, Lusaka, Zambia. benmalambo@gmail.com.
authors: Benson M
authors: BM
authors: Hamooya
authors: School of Medicine, Department of Public Health, The University of Zambia, P.O. Box 50110, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors: Gershom
authors: G
authors: Chongwe
authors: School of Medicine, Department of Public Health, The University of Zambia, P.O. Box 50110, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors: Rosalia
authors: R
authors: Dambe
authors: School of Medicine, Department of Public Health, The University of Zambia, P.O. Box 50110, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors: Hikabasa
authors: H
authors: Halwiindi
mesh_terms: D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017028:Caregivers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003150:Community Health Workers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000628:therapy*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006268:Health Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012621:Seasons; D015024:Zambia
keywords: Caretakers; Childhood fever; Treatment-seeking; Under-5 children