Child care practices of mothers: implications for intervention in acute respiratory infections

Abstract

An epidemiological study of acute respiratory infection (ARI) in an urban community showed poor utilization of available health services. This prompted us to undertake this study to identify determinants of child care practices of mothers through a focus group discussion and survey of the knowledge, attitudes and practices of mothers. The results will form the basis of appropriate health education strategy geared towards control of ARI. They showed that, generally, the mothers were unable to recognize a severe infection. Poor diagnostic ability compounded by a limited knowledge of the appropriate management of varying types or degrees of ARI resulted in inappropriate action. Consequently, there was a high rate of self-medication and a low rate of health service utilization. In addition, there was low compliance with childhood immunizations. With these limitations in the mother's knowledge and practices, an education programme utilizing an informative print material was devised to upgrade the mother's ability to recognize signs of ARI and to improve her management of the condition.

Ear, nose and throat foreign bodies in children: A search for socio-demographic correlates

“…However in the resource poor regions of the world such protocol may not exist thus leading to caregivers attempt at removal of such foreign bodies. Poor diagnostic ability compounded by a limited knowledge of appropriate management result in the increase of self-treatment, complication and low rate of health care utilization among the care givers [12]. This practice is common across almost every culture, gender, health and social status, race, occupation or any other socio-medical or demographic factors [13].…”

Acute respiratory illness: Popular health culture and mother's knowledge in the Philippines

“…2 Second, the Philippine health ministry was committed to developing a community-based ARI program. Toward that end, the former director of the Regional Institute of Tropical Medicine had already carried out a peri-urban survey of behavior related to ARI (Tupasi et al 1988;Tupasi, Miguel, and Tallo 1989), and the new director was willing to sponsor an anthropological study. Third, one of the first community ARI intervention trials in the world was being conducted on the island of Bohol.…”

Factors influencing the pattern of self-medication in an adult Nigerian population

“…7 Poor diagnostic ability compounded by a limited knowledge of appropriate management result in the increase of self-medication and low rate of health care utilization. 8 This shows that the practice cuts across culture, gender, health and social status, race, occupation or any other sociomedical or demographic factors.…”