Care pathways during a child's final illness in rural South Africa: Findings from a social autopsy study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Half of under-5 deaths in South Africa occur at home, however the reasons remain poorly described and data on the care pathways during fatal childhood illness is limited. This study aimed to better describe care-seeking behavior in fatal childhood illness and to assess barriers to healthcare and modifiable factors that contribute to under-5 deaths in rural South Africa.

Methods

We conducted a social autopsy study on all under-5 deaths in two rural South African health and demographic surveillance system sites. Descriptive analyses based on the Pathways to Survival Framework were used to characterise how caregivers move through the stages of seeking and providing care for children during their final illness and to identify modifiable factors that contributed to dea

SUBMITTER: Price J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6804973 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature