Relationship between symptoms, barriers to care and healthcare utilisation among children under five in rural Mali.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To identify social and structural barriers to timely utilisation of qualified providers among children under five years in a high-mortality setting, rural Mali and to analyse how utilisation varies by symptom manifestation.

Methods

Using baseline household survey data from a cluster-randomised trial, we assessed symptom patterns and healthcare trajectories of 5117 children whose mothers reported fever, diarrhoea, bloody stools, cough and/or fast breathing in the preceding two weeks. We examine associations between socio-demographic factors, symptoms and utilisation outcomes in mixed-effect logistic regressions.

Results

Almost half of recently ill children reported multiple symptoms (46.2%). Over half (55.9%) received any treatment, while less than one-quart

SUBMITTER: Treleaven E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9291065 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature