This study aimed to explore the magnitude and determinants of health care seeking behaviors for common infectious disease and malnutrition among Bangladeshi under-five children living in slum areas. A cross-sectional study of 300 children-caregiver dyads was conducted in an urban slum of Bangladesh. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire with accompanying anthropometric assessments of children administered by research staff. Multiple logistic regression was employed to identify associated factors of health care seeking behaviors. Only 44.7% and 13.0% of respondents sought care for childhood infectious diseases and malnutrition, respectively. Being a male child, 2–5 years old, having ≤5 family members, monthly family income >125$, and living in close proximity to a health facility were found to be potential determinants of health care seeking behavior for childhood infectious diseases. Mother/caregivers with poor nutritional information knowledge and who had a child 2–5 years old reported engaging in less care seeking behaviors regarding their child’s malnutrition compared to their counterparts. Caregivers of children under the age of 5 years old reported low participation in health care seeking behaviors in relation to childhood infectious disease and malnutrition. Families living in slums require additional support targeting health and nutritional educational programs.
AleneMYismawLBerelieY, et al. (2019) Health care utilization for common childhood illnesses in rural parts of Ethiopia: evidence from the 2016 Ethiopian demographic and health survey. BMC Public healthSpringer19(1): 57.
2.
AstaleTChenaultM (2015) Help-seeking behavior for children with acute respiratory infection in Ethiopia: Results from 2011 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey. Plos One, 10(11): e0142553. Public Library of Science.
3.
AwasthiSAgarwalS (2003) Determinants of childhood mortality and morbidity in urban slums in India. Indian Pediatrics40(12): 1145–1161.
4.
BBS (2015) Census of Slum Areas and Floating Population 2014. Dhaka, Bangladesh: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
5.
BegashawBTessemaFGesesewHA (2016) Health care seeking behavior in Southwest Ethiopia. PloS One, 11(9): e0161014. San Francisco, CA USA: Public Library of Science.
6.
BegumMRAl BannaMHAkterS, et al. (2020) Effectiveness of wash education to prevent diarrhea among children under five in a community of Patuakhali, Bangladesh. SN Comprehensive Clinical MedicineSpringer2(8): 1158–1162.
7.
BryceJBoschi-PintoCShibuyaK, et al. (2005) WHO estimates of the causes of death in children. The LancetElsevier365(9465): 1147–1152.
ChowdhurySBanuLAChowdhuryTA, et al. (2011) Achieving millennium development goals 4 and 5 in Bangladesh. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 118: 36–46. Wiley Online Library.
10.
DasSKNasrinDAhmedS, et al. (2013) Health care-seeking behavior for childhood diarrhea in Mirzapur, rural Bangladesh. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene89(1_Suppl). ASTMH: 62–68.
11.
GeorgiadisAPennyME (2017) Child undernutrition: opportunities beyond the first 1000 days. The Lancet Public Health2(9): e399.
12.
HaqueMAHaqueAAnsariMS (2010) Water, sanitation and health status of aila affected coastal area of Bangladesh. Bangladesh J. Environ. Sci19: 51–56.
13.
HoqueMASayeedMAAhsanMR, et al. (2016) Nutritional status among under-5 children of a selected slum in Dhaka city. Northern International Medical College Journal7(2): 143–145.
14.
HossainMChoudhuryNAdib Binte AbdullahK, et al. (2017) Evidence-based approaches to childhood stunting in low and middle income countries: a systematic review. Archives of Disease in Childhood102(10): 903–909.
15.
HossainSChowdhuryPBBiswasRK, et al. (2020) Malnutrition status of children under 5 years in Bangladesh: a sociodemographic assessment. Children and Youth Services Review, 117: 105291. Elsevier.
16.
IslamABiswasT (2014) Health system in Bangladesh: challenges and opportunities. American Journal of Health Research Science Publishing Group2(6): 366–374.
JonesGSteketeeRWBlackRE, et al. (2003) How many child deaths can we prevent this year?The lancetElsevier362(9377): 65–71.
19.
KhanMSIAniJFRaniB, et al. (2018) Healthcare-seeking behavior for infectious diseases in a community in Bangladesh. International Journal of Advanced Medical and Health ResearchMedknow Publications5(2): 52.
20.
KoenigMAJamilKStreatfieldPK, et al. (2007) Maternal health and care-seeking behavior in Bangladesh: findings from a national survey. International Family Planning Perspectives. JSTOR: 75–82.
21.
KololaT.GezahegnT.AddisieM. (2016) Health care seeking behavior for common childhood illnesses in Jeldu District, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. PloS one, 11(10), p. e0164534. San Francisco, CA USA.
22.
LiuLOzaSHoganD, et al. (2016) Global, regional, and national causes of under-5 mortality in 2000-15: an updated systematic analysis with implications for the Sustainable Development Goals. The LancetElsevier388(10063): 3027–3035.
23.
MahejabinFParveenSIbrahimM (2014) Mother s/care giver s health seeking behaviour during childhood illness in an urban slum of Dhaka city. Pulse7(1): 5–15.
24.
MahumudR. A.GowJ.SarkerA. R., et al. (2021) Distribution of wealth-stratified inequalities on maternal and child health parameters and influences of maternal-related factors on improvements in child health survival rate in Bangladesh. Journal of Child Health Care, 25(1): 93–109. London, England. Sage Publications Sage UK.
25.
MandlikMDHaralkarSJMulajeSM, et al. (2017) Study of health-care seeking behavior of parents for child health problems in an urban slum area of Solapur. International Journal of Medical Science and Public Health6(10): 1503–1509. Dipika Charan.
26.
MbagayaGMOdhiamboMOOniang'oRK (2005) Mother's health seeking behaviour during child illness in a rural western Kenya community. African Health Sciences5(4): 322–327.
MukiiraCIbisomiL (2015) Health care seeking practices of caregivers of children under 5 with diarrhea in two informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. Journal of Child Health Care, 19(2): 254–264. London, England: SAGE Publications Sage UK.
29.
NdugwaRPZuluEM (2008)Child morbidity and care-seeking in Nairobi slum settlements: the role of environmental and socio-economic factors, Journal of Child Health Care, 12(4): 314–328. London, England: SAGE Publications Sage UK.
30.
NolanLB (2015) Slum definitions in urban India: implications for the measurement of health inequalities. Population and Development ReviewWiley Online Library41(1): 59–84.
31.
OgunlesiTAOlanrewajuDM (2010) Socio-demographic factors and appropriate health care-seeking behavior for childhood illnesses, Journal of Tropical Pediatrics, 56(6): 379–385. Oxford University Press.
32.
Pakenham-WalshN (2007) Supporting those responsible for the health care for children in the developing world: child 2015. Journal of Child Health Care, 11(3): 170–173. London, England. Sage Publications Sage UK.
33.
SaitoKKorzenikJRJekelJF, et al. (1997) A case-control study of maternal knowledge of malnutrition and health-care-seeking attitudes in rural South India. The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine70(2): 149–160.
34.
SarkerARSultanaMMahumudRA, et al. (2016) Prevalence and health care–seeking behavior for childhood diarrheal disease in Bangladesh. Global Pediatric Health, 3: 2333794X16680901. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications Sage CA.
35.
SiddiqiKADanaTHasanK, et al. (2017) Mother’s healthcare response to child illness: a slum-based cross-sectional study in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. The Columbia Journal of Global Health7(2): 16–25.
36.
SikderSSLabriqueABCraigIM, et al. (2015) Patterns and determinants of care seeking for obstetric complications in rural northwest Bangladesh: analysis from a prospective cohort study. BMC Health Services Research, 15(1): 166. Springer.
37.
SultanaMSarkerARSheikhN, et al. (2019) Prevalence, determinants and health care-seeking behavior of childhood acute respiratory tract infections in Bangladesh. PloS one, 14(1): e0210433. Public Library of Science. San Francisco, CA USA.
38.
TaffaNChepngenoG (2005) Determinants of health care seeking for childhood illnesses in Nairobi slums tropical medicine & international health. Tropical Medicine and International Health10(3): 240–245.
39.
UN-HABITAT (2003) The Challenge of Slums: Global Report on Human Settlements. UN-HABITAT.
40.
UngerARileyLW (2007) Slum health: from understanding to action. PLoS MedicinePublic Library of Science4(10): e295.
41.
ViswanathanVTharkarS (2010) Can the divide be bridged: overview of life in urban slums in India official publication of Indian association of preventive & social medicine. Indian Journal of Community Medicine : Official Publication of Indian Association of Preventive & Social MedicineWolters Kluwer--Medknow Publications35(1): 198–199.
42.
WHO (2006) WHO Child Growth Standards: Length/Height-for-Age, Weight-for-Age, Weight-for-Length. Weight-for-Height and Body Mass Index-for-Age: Methods and Development. World Health Organization.
WilsonSEOuédraogoCTPrinceL, et al. (2012) Caregiver recognition of childhood diarrhea, care seeking behaviors and home treatment practices in rural Burkina Faso: a cross-sectional survey. PloS one7(3): e33273. Public Library of Science.
