Abstract

Background: The mortality and morbidity from the diseases which contribute to the deaths among children can be reduced if early intervention is made in terms of appropriate care and treatment. Thus, utmost care should be taken to prevent diseases, recognize the danger signals, and treat them urgently. Thus, healthcare-seeking behavior is of prime importance and is pivotal in the well-being of the individual as well as the community. The aims of this research were to determine the possible factors that affect the healthcare-seeking behavior of mothers for their children in a tribal community of Narmada district and to determine the reasons for not seeking curative care for children who are perceived to be sick. 

Methods: A cross-sectional, community-based study of 405 mothers of the Dediyapada Block in Narmada District Gujarat, India, was undertaken, using a two-stage, cluster-sampling technique. The study was conducted from June through August 2011 using the questionnaire method. The chi squared test was used to determine the association between various factors and the healthcare-seeking behaviors of mothers.

Results: The mothers were in the age range of 17 to 44 years, with the mean (+SD) being 26.2+3.2 years. Ninety-one percent of the children, irrespective of gender, had completed their primary immunization. Regarding curative healthcare-seeking behavior, 16.5% of the males and 42% of the females received no treatment. Joint family structure (P<0.05, df=1, χ2=41.39), mass media exposure (P<0.05, df=1, χ2=16.42), literacy status (P<0.05, df=1, χ2=60.76), socioeconomic status of the mothers (P<0.05, df=1, χ2=56.08), and gender differences among children (P<0.05, df=1, χ2=21.18) were found to be associated significantly with the healthcare-seeking behavior of the mothers. 

Conclusion: Increased maternal education, generation of intensified awareness through the mass media approach, implementing gender-sensitive interventions, and counseling may have positive implications in the future, leading to better health outcomes and favorable health indicators.

 

Key words: gender differences, healthcare-seeking behavior, mothers
 
 
M??czy?niAir Jordan 1 Retro High OG 'Chicago' White and Black-Varsity Red For Sale

The  most recent editorial (June 2021)

Ethics of Publishing Case Reports: Do We Need Ethics Approval and Patient Consent?

An editorial by Dr. Mehrdad Jalalian

Read more.


The worldwide spread of COVID-19 as an emerging, rapidly evolving situation, and the dramatic need of urgent medicine or vaccine, has rapidly brought new hypotheses for pathophysiology and potential medicinal agents to the fore. It is crucial that the research community provide a way to publish this research in a timely manner.

 

To contribute to this important public health discussion, the Electronic Physician Journal is excited to announce a fast-track procedure to help researchers publish their articles on COVID-19 related subjects that fall under the broad definition of public health, internal medicine, and pharmacology. We are especially welcome to all hypotheses about the pathological basis of the COVID-19 infection and the possible characteristics of potential medicine and vaccine. Submit your manuscript here

 


Our previous editorial (June 2020)

Lessons from COVID-19 pandemic and the Morocco’s success story.

An editorial by Dr. Benksim Abdelhafid (Morocco)

Read more.


 

The 6th World Conference on Research Integrity (WCRI) is to be held on June 2-5, 2019 in Hong Kong.

The WCRI is the largest and most significant international conference on research integrity. Since the first conference in Lisbon in 2007, it has given researchers, teachers, funding agencies, government officials, journal editors, senior administrators, and research students opportunities to share experiences and to discuss and promote integrity in research. Read more:


 

TDR Clinical Research and Development Fellowships

Call for applications

Deadline for submission: 7 March 2019, 16:00 (GMT)

TDR provides fellowships for early- to mid-career researchers and clinical trial staff (e.g. clinicians, pharmacists, medical statisticians, data managers, other health researchers) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to learn how to conduct clinical trials. Read more:


Meta-Analysis Workshops in New York, USA, and London, UK, in April and May 2019

Don't miss this exceptional opportunity to learn how to perform and report a Meta-analysis correctly. Two Meta-analysis workshops are organized in April and May 2019 by Dr. Michael Borenstein in New York, USA (April 08-10, 2019) and London, UK (May 27-29).

About the Instructor

Dr. Michael Borenstein, one of the authors of Introduction to Meta-Analysis, is widely recognized for his ability to make statistical concepts accessible to researchers as well as to statisticians. He has lectured widely on meta-analysis, including at the NIH, CDC, and FDA. Read more: