The Effect of Socio-Demographic Factors in Health-Seeking Behaviors among Bangladeshi Residents during the First Wave of COVID-19

Abstract

Background: Socio-demographic variability among nations and cultures highly influences health-seeking behavior (HSB) in managing endemic or pandemic diseases. The present study aimed to investigate the influence of socio-demographic factors on HSB among Bangladeshi residents during the first wave of COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was performed with Bangladeshi residents (60% male and 40% female; age range: 10–60 years or above) from May to July 2020. Information was collected from the participants who resided in slum areas or did not have internet access through face-to-face surveys, maintaining spatial distancing and proper preventive measures. A self-reported and structured questionnaire, including socio-demographic and HSB, was undertaken, and the data was analyzed using a convenience sampling method. Finally, among the 947 participants, 20 were selected using a stratified random sampling technique for in-depth-interview (IDI). The linear regression analysis was performed to determine the influence of socio-demographic factors on HSB. Results: Only about 4.2% of respondents did not wear masks, but nearly half of the participants (46.6%) did not use hand gloves. The mean score of HSB was 9.98 (SD = 2.01) out of 16, with a correct overall rate of 62.4%. As per regression analysis, higher HSBs were found among participants who reported older age (>50 years) (9.96 ± 2.45), educated unemployed students (10.1 ± 1.95), higher education (10.5 ± 1.76), and higher-income (10.4 ± 1.59); in contrast, participants living in slum areas (8.18 ± 2.34) and whose source of income was business (8.46 ± 2.04) exhibited lower HSBs. Females, compared to men, showed better HSB in every aspect, apart from online food ordering. Qualitative data showed that the younger generation is more aware because of their access to information and persuaded the older generations to follow health-seeking protocols. The results also showed that some lower-income slum-dwellers have access to information and healthcare through their employers. IDIs also found cultural, religious, and mental-health affect people’s adherence to health-seeking guidelines and regulations. Conclusions: The findings suggest that socio-demographic factors significantly influenced HSBs during COVID-19 in the Bangladeshi population. Authorities can use these observations to systematically manage future endemics or pandemics.

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“…A prior study has revealed that men and women exhibit comparable help-seeking behaviours [26]. However, in the current study, it was observed that female students were more likely to seek the advice of a psychologist, and this nding was also present in the study of Mou, that is, women were more likely than men to take precautions [27,28]. The likelihood of contracting a disease, how well people respond to treatments, and how frequently they seek medical attention have all been found to be in uenced by sex and social circumstances [29].…”

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“…This is similar with a study done in Bangladesh. 32 This might be due to that younger age groups were not having sufficient knowledge on risk factors and consequences of NCDs.…”

The Impact of COVID-19 on The Teaching of Non-Medical Healthcare Professionals in Bangladesh: Observations and Implications From A Pilot Study

“…A qualitative semi-structured questionnaire was adopted based on recent research conducted among African and Asian countries 16,19,43 . Respondents had enough time to construct and amend their answers before being sent back 14,55 . Participants were encouraged to remain in constant communication with the researchers to clarify any details regarding the research as needs arose.…”

“…However, the rapidity of their implementation, coupled with the stringency of their enforcement, impact morbidity and mortality rates in practice across countries, certainly in the early phase of the pandemic 4,[9][10][11][12] . Bangladesh was no exception introducing several lockdowns and other measures at the start of the pandemic 13,14 . Initiatives included the closure of educational establishments, including universities [13][14][15][16] , with these measures subsequently having an appreciable impact on educational sectors 14,17 .…”

“…Bangladesh was no exception introducing several lockdowns and other measures at the start of the pandemic 13,14 . Initiatives included the closure of educational establishments, including universities [13][14][15][16] , with these measures subsequently having an appreciable impact on educational sectors 14,17 . Universities typically need to postpone or immediately cancel all campus-related activities.…”