Factors affecting health seeking behavior for common childhood illnesses in Yemen

Figures & data

Figure 1 Factors affecting HSB for common childhood illnesses; study variables.

Abbreviation: HSB, health seeking behavior.

Table 1 Frequency distribution of caretakers and their sick children by demographic characteristics

Demographic characteristics of caretakers and their children	Frequency	% (N=212)
Caretakers characteristics
Caretaker of the child
The mother	209	98.58
Not the mother	3	1.42
Caretaker age (years)
<25	63	29.72
25–<30	58	27.36
30–<35	56	26.42
≥35	35	16.51
Caretaker marital status
Married	208	98.11
Widow/divorced	4	1.89
Caretakers’ educational level
Secondary school or higher	49	23.11
Primary school	105	49.53
No education	58	27.36
Caretaker occupation
Housewife	203	95.75
Not housewife	9	4.25
Address level
Level one	144	67.92
Level two and three	68	32.08
Children characteristics
Age
<12 months	114	53.77
12–59 months	98	46.23
Sex
Male	107	50.47
Female	105	49.53
Number of siblings
≤2	136	64.15
>2	76	35.85
Birth order
The first	64	30.19
The second	48	22.64
The third	40	18.87
The fourth and higher	60	28.30

Figure 2 Caretakers’ distribution by the source of care.

Table 2 Distribution of caretakers by the order of action

HSB actions in order	Frequency	% (N=212)
Sought any source of care
Yes	191	90.09
First action
Sought medical care	56	26.42
Consulted drug sellers	80	37.74
Used self-treatment	46	21.70
Consulted a traditional healer	9	4.25
Did any action after the first
Yes	68	32.08
Next actions
Sought medical care	53	25.00
Consulted drug sellers	6	2.83
Used self-treatment	6	2.83
Consulted a traditional healer	3	1.42

Abbreviation: HSB, health seeking behavior.

Figure 3 Causes of delaying and avoiding seeking medical care.

Table 3 Relationship between HSB and subject and disorder characteristics

Variable (N)	Bivariate analysis		Logistic regression
	Sought medical care	Chi-square (P-value)	POR	95% CI
Caretakers’ age (years)
≥28 (121)	55 (45.45)	2.35 (0.477)
>28 (91)	49 (53.85)
Caretakers’ educational level
Secondary or higher (49)	33 (67.35)	11.79 (0.003)	5.85	2.34–14.61
Primary school (105)	56 (53.33)
No education (58)	20 (34.48)
Address level
Level one (144)	79 (54.86)	2.13 (0.317)
Level two and three (68)	30 (44.12)
Child age
<12 months (114)	58 (50.88)	0.03 (0.490)
12–59 months (98)	51 (52.04)
Child sex
Male (107)	58 (54.21)	0.67 (0.412)
Female (105)	51 (48.57)
Sibling number
≤2 (136)	69 (50.74)	0.07 (0.791)
>2 (76)	40 (52.63)
Birth order
The first or second (112)	62 (55.36)	1.48 (0.224)
After second (100)	47 (47.00)
Fever
Yes (163)	89 (54.60)	2.87 (0.090)
No (49)	20 (40.82)
Cough
Yes (76)	46 (60.53)	3.94 (0.047)	1.57	0.82–2.99
No (136)	63 (46.32)
DOB
Yes (29)	22 (75.86)	8.04 (0.005)	2.93	1.10–7.80
No (183)	87 (47.54)
Diarrhea
Yes (62)	32 (51.61)	0.00 (0.970)
No (150)	77 (51.33)
Perception of illness
Severe (122)	82 (67.21)	28.71 (0.000)	5.39	2.81–10.33
Not severe (90)	27 (30.00)

Note: The values in bold are statistically significant P-values and confidence intervals.

Abbreviations: HSB, health seeking behavior; POR, prevalence odds ratio; CI, confidence interval; DOB, difficulty of breathing.