Sociodemographic and clinical determinants of time to care-seeking among febrile children under-five in North-Central Nigeria.
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Date
2015-09
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Oman Medical Specialty Board
Abstract
Objectives: Our study sought to determine the time parents of febrile children under the age of five took to seek competent medical care. We also looked at the possible sociodemographic/clinical factors that influenced this presentation. Methods: Four hundred and nine under-fives presenting at the emergency unit with a history of fever in the last 48 hours along with their mothers were recruited over four months. Relevant sociodemographic information as well as symptoms and duration of illness were obtained. Multinomial regression analysis was performed to determine the predictors of early and late presentation. Results: Over half (57%) of patients presented within 24 hours of onset of fever. The mean age of the children and mothers were 22±15 months and 30±5 years, respectively. High social class (odds ratio (OR) 6.5, 95% CI 1.6–26.4), Hausa ethnic group (OR 19.3, 95% CI 5.7–65.6), convulsions (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.6–6.5) and appearance of other symptoms (OR 6.0, 95% CI 3.0–12.0) were significant predictors of early presentation. Secondary school education, belonging to another ethnic group, and non-resolution of fever were significant predictors of late presentation. Conclusion: The majority of febrile under-fives came to the hospital to seek competent medical care within the first 24 hours of illness. However, there is a need for more parental education on early hospital presentation for parents of low socioeconomic status and educational background.
Description
Keywords
Fever, Delivery of Health Care, febrile children
Citation
Abdulkadir, M. B., Ibraheem, R. M., & Johnson, W. B. R. (2015). Sociodemographic and Clinical Determinants of Time to Care-Seeking Among Febrile Children Under-Five in North-Central Nigeria. Oman Medical Journal, 30(5), 331–335. http://doi.org/10.5001/omj.2015.68