Treatment Choices for Fevers in Children Under-Five Years in a Rural Ghanaian District

Malaria Journal, Vol. 9, p. 188, 2010

8 Pages Posted: 25 Apr 2011

See all articles by Justice Nonvignon

Justice Nonvignon

University of Ghana - School of Public Health; Dodowa Health Research Centre

Moses Aikins

University of Ghana - School of Public Health

Amanua Chinbuah

Health Research Unit, Ghana Health Service

Mercy Abbey

Health Research Unit, Ghana Health Service

Margaret Gyapong

Dodowa Health Research Centre

Bertha Garshong

Health Research Unit, Ghana Health Service

Saviour Fia

Dodowa Health Research Centre

John Gyapong

Health Research Unit, Ghana Health Service

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: June 28, 2010

Abstract

Background: Health care demand studies help to examine the behaviour of individuals and households during illnesses. Few of existing health care demand studies examine the choice of treatment services for childhood illnesses. Besides, in their analyses, many of the existing studies compare alternative treatment options to a single option, usually self-medication. This study aims at examining the factors that influence the choices that caregivers of children under five years make regarding treatment of fevers due to malaria and pneumonia in a rural setting. The study also examines how the choice of alternative treatment options compare with each other.

Methods: The study uses data from a 2006 household socio-economic survey and health and demographic surveillance covering caregivers of 529 children under-five years of age in the Dangme West District and applies a multinomial probit technique to model the choice of treatment services for fevers in under-fives in rural Ghana. Four health care options are considered: self-medication, over-the-counter providers, public providers and private providers.

Results: The findings indicate that longer travel, waiting and treatment times encourage people to use self-medication and over-the-counter providers compared to public and private providers. Caregivers with health insurance coverage also use care from public providers compared to over-the-counter or private providers. Caregivers with higher incomes use public and private providers over self-medication while higher treatment charges and longer times at public facilities encourage caregivers to resort to private providers. Besides, caregivers of female under-fives use self-care while caregivers of male under-fives use public providers instead of self-care, implying gender disparity in the choice of treatment.

Conclusions: The results of this study imply that efforts at curbing under-five mortality due to malaria and pneumonia need to take into account care-seeking behaviour of caregivers of under-fives as well as implementation of strategies.

Keywords: Treatment choices, under-five fevers, multinomial probit, Ghana

Suggested Citation

Nonvignon, Justice and Aikins, Moses and Chinbuah, Amanua and Abbey, Mercy and Gyapong, Margaret and Garshong, Bertha and Fia, Saviour and Gyapong, John, Treatment Choices for Fevers in Children Under-Five Years in a Rural Ghanaian District (June 28, 2010). Malaria Journal, Vol. 9, p. 188, 2010, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1816154

Justice Nonvignon (Contact Author)

University of Ghana - School of Public Health ( email )

PO Box 25
Legon, Accra
Ghana
+233249832313 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.ug.edu.gh

Dodowa Health Research Centre

Box DD 1
Dodowa
Ghana

Moses Aikins

University of Ghana - School of Public Health ( email )

Box LG 13
Legon
Ghana

Amanua Chinbuah

Health Research Unit, Ghana Health Service ( email )

Private Mail Bag, Ministries, Accra.
Ghana, Greater Accra
Ghana

Mercy Abbey

Health Research Unit, Ghana Health Service ( email )

Private Mail Bag, Ministries, Accra.
Ghana, Greater Accra
Ghana

Margaret Gyapong

Dodowa Health Research Centre ( email )

Box DD 1
Dodowa
Ghana

Bertha Garshong

Health Research Unit, Ghana Health Service ( email )

Private Mail Bag, Ministries, Accra.
Ghana, Greater Accra
Ghana

Saviour Fia

Dodowa Health Research Centre ( email )

Box DD 1
Dodowa
Ghana

John Gyapong

Health Research Unit, Ghana Health Service ( email )

Private Mail Bag, Ministries, Accra.
Ghana, Greater Accra
Ghana

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