Promptness in seeking treatment from Village Health workers for children under five years with malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia in rural southwestern Uganda
Abstract Background Village Health Workers (VHWs) in Uganda provide treatment for the childhood illness of malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhoea through the integrated community case management (iCCM) strategy. Under the strategy children under five years receive treatment for these illnesses within 24...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:2017f7fc94d94396b95d7dd8fc5c8175 2023-07-30T04:02:08+02:00 Promptness in seeking treatment from Village Health workers for children under five years with malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia in rural southwestern Uganda Edgar Mulogo Stephen Baguma Moses Ntaro Shem Bwambale Michael Matte Andrew Wesuta David Ayebare Fred Bagenda Peter Kawungezi 2023-06-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-023-04633-z https://doaj.org/article/2017f7fc94d94396b95d7dd8fc5c8175 EN eng BMC https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-023-04633-z https://doaj.org/toc/1475-2875 doi:10.1186/s12936-023-04633-z 1475-2875 https://doaj.org/article/2017f7fc94d94396b95d7dd8fc5c8175 Malaria Journal, Vol 22, Iss 1, Pp 1-6 (2023) Promptness Treatment Childhood illness Community health worker Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 article 2023 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-023-04633-z 2023-07-09T00:37:51Z Abstract Background Village Health Workers (VHWs) in Uganda provide treatment for the childhood illness of malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhoea through the integrated community case management (iCCM) strategy. Under the strategy children under five years receive treatment for these illnesses within 24 h of onset of illness. This study examined promptness in seeking treatment from VHWs by children under five years with malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhoea in rural southwestern Uganda. Methods In August 2022, a database containing information from the VHWs patient registers over a 5-year study period was reviewed (2014–2018). A total of 18,430 child records drawn from 8 villages of Bugoye sub-county, Kasese district were included in the study. Promptness was defined a caregiver seeking treatment for a child from a VHW within 24 h of onset of illness. Results Sixty-four percent (64%) of the children included in the study sought treatment promptly. Children with fever had the highest likelihood of seeking prompt treatment (aOR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.80–2.06, p < 0.001) as compared to those with diarrhoea (aOR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.32–1.52, p < 0.001) and pneumonia (aOR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.24–1.42, p < 0.001). Conclusion The findings provide further evidence that VHWs play a critical role in the treatment of childhood illness in rural contexts. However, the proportion of children seeking prompt treatment remains below the target set at the inception of the iCCM strategy, in Uganda. There is a need to continually engage rural communities to promote modification of health-seeking behaviour, particularly for children with danger signs. Evidence to inform the design of services and behaviour change communication, can be provided through undertaking qualitative studies to understand the underlying reasons for decisions about care-seeking in rural settings. Co-design with communities in these settings may increase the acceptability of these services. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Malaria Journal 22 1 |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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English |
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Promptness Treatment Childhood illness Community health worker Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 |
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Promptness Treatment Childhood illness Community health worker Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 Edgar Mulogo Stephen Baguma Moses Ntaro Shem Bwambale Michael Matte Andrew Wesuta David Ayebare Fred Bagenda Peter Kawungezi Promptness in seeking treatment from Village Health workers for children under five years with malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia in rural southwestern Uganda |
topic_facet |
Promptness Treatment Childhood illness Community health worker Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 |
description |
Abstract Background Village Health Workers (VHWs) in Uganda provide treatment for the childhood illness of malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhoea through the integrated community case management (iCCM) strategy. Under the strategy children under five years receive treatment for these illnesses within 24 h of onset of illness. This study examined promptness in seeking treatment from VHWs by children under five years with malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhoea in rural southwestern Uganda. Methods In August 2022, a database containing information from the VHWs patient registers over a 5-year study period was reviewed (2014–2018). A total of 18,430 child records drawn from 8 villages of Bugoye sub-county, Kasese district were included in the study. Promptness was defined a caregiver seeking treatment for a child from a VHW within 24 h of onset of illness. Results Sixty-four percent (64%) of the children included in the study sought treatment promptly. Children with fever had the highest likelihood of seeking prompt treatment (aOR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.80–2.06, p < 0.001) as compared to those with diarrhoea (aOR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.32–1.52, p < 0.001) and pneumonia (aOR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.24–1.42, p < 0.001). Conclusion The findings provide further evidence that VHWs play a critical role in the treatment of childhood illness in rural contexts. However, the proportion of children seeking prompt treatment remains below the target set at the inception of the iCCM strategy, in Uganda. There is a need to continually engage rural communities to promote modification of health-seeking behaviour, particularly for children with danger signs. Evidence to inform the design of services and behaviour change communication, can be provided through undertaking qualitative studies to understand the underlying reasons for decisions about care-seeking in rural settings. Co-design with communities in these settings may increase the acceptability of these services. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Edgar Mulogo Stephen Baguma Moses Ntaro Shem Bwambale Michael Matte Andrew Wesuta David Ayebare Fred Bagenda Peter Kawungezi |
author_facet |
Edgar Mulogo Stephen Baguma Moses Ntaro Shem Bwambale Michael Matte Andrew Wesuta David Ayebare Fred Bagenda Peter Kawungezi |
author_sort |
Edgar Mulogo |
title |
Promptness in seeking treatment from Village Health workers for children under five years with malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia in rural southwestern Uganda |
title_short |
Promptness in seeking treatment from Village Health workers for children under five years with malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia in rural southwestern Uganda |
title_full |
Promptness in seeking treatment from Village Health workers for children under five years with malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia in rural southwestern Uganda |
title_fullStr |
Promptness in seeking treatment from Village Health workers for children under five years with malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia in rural southwestern Uganda |
title_full_unstemmed |
Promptness in seeking treatment from Village Health workers for children under five years with malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia in rural southwestern Uganda |
title_sort |
promptness in seeking treatment from village health workers for children under five years with malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia in rural southwestern uganda |
publisher |
BMC |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-023-04633-z https://doaj.org/article/2017f7fc94d94396b95d7dd8fc5c8175 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_source |
Malaria Journal, Vol 22, Iss 1, Pp 1-6 (2023) |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-023-04633-z https://doaj.org/toc/1475-2875 doi:10.1186/s12936-023-04633-z 1475-2875 https://doaj.org/article/2017f7fc94d94396b95d7dd8fc5c8175 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-023-04633-z |
container_title |
Malaria Journal |
container_volume |
22 |
container_issue |
1 |
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1772812855226138624 |