dc.contributor.author |
Danso-Appiah, A. |
en_US |
dc.contributor.author |
de Vlas, S. J. |
en_US |
dc.contributor.author |
Bosompem, K. M. |
en_US |
dc.contributor.author |
Habbema, J. D. F. |
en_US |
dc.date.accessioned |
2007-12-06T14:33:22Z |
|
dc.date.available |
2007-12-06T14:33:22Z |
|
dc.date.issued |
2004 |
en_US |
dc.identifier.issn |
1360-2276 |
en_US |
dc.identifier.doi |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3156.2004.01267.x |
|
dc.identifier.other |
ITG-P2B |
en_US |
dc.identifier.other |
PARAS |
en_US |
dc.identifier.other |
U-SCHISTO |
en_US |
dc.identifier.other |
JIF |
en_US |
dc.identifier.other |
DOI |
en_US |
dc.identifier.other |
FTB |
en_US |
dc.identifier.other |
ABSTRACT |
en_US |
dc.identifier.uri |
http://hdl.handle.net/10390/118 |
|
dc.description.abstract |
Morbidity control of schistosomiasis through integration within existing health care delivery systems is considered a potentially sustainable and cost-effective approach. We conducted a questionnaire-based field study in a Ghanaian village endemic for both urinary and intestinal schistosomiasis to determine whether infected individuals self-reported to health centres or clinics and to identify factors that influenced their decision to seek health care. A total of 317 subjects were interviewed about having signs and symptoms suggestive of schistosomiasis: blood in urine, painful urination, blood in stool/bloody diarrhoea, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, swollen abdomen and fatigue within 1 month of the day of the interview. Fever (for malaria) was included as a disease of high debility for comparison. Around 70% with blood in urine or painful urination did not seek health care, whilst diarrhoea, blood in stool, abdominal pain and fever usually led to action (mainly self-medication, with allopathic drugs being used four to five times more often than herbal treatment). On average 20% of schistosomiasis-related signs and symptoms were reported to health facilities either as the first option or second and third alternative by some of those that self-medicated. A few of those who visited a clinic or health centre as first option still self-medicated afterwards. Children under 10 years and adults were more likely to seek health care than teenagers. Also, females were more likely to visit a health facility than males of the same age groups. Socio-economic status and duration of symptoms did not appear to affect health-seeking behaviour. 'Do not have the money' (43%) and 'Not serious enough' (41%) were the commonest reasons for not visiting a clinic, reported more frequently by lower and higher socio-economic classes, respectively, for both urinary or intestinal schistosomiasis. The regular health service shows some potential in passive control of schistosomiasis as some, but far too few, people visit a health facility as first or second option. |
|
dc.language |
English |
en_US |
dc.publisher |
Blackwell Publishing |
|
dc.subject |
Helminthic diseases |
en_US |
dc.subject |
Schistosomiasis |
en_US |
dc.subject |
Health care seeking behavior |
en_US |
dc.subject |
Determinants |
en_US |
dc.subject |
Integrated control |
en_US |
dc.subject |
Ghana |
en_US |
dc.subject |
Africa, West |
en_US |
dc.title |
Determinants of health-seeking behaviour for schistosomiasis-related symptoms in the context of integrating schistosomiasis control within the regular health services in Ghana |
en_US |
dc.type |
Article |
en_US |
dc.citation.jtitle |
Tropical Medicine and International Health |
en_US |
dc.citation.volume |
9 |
en_US |
dc.citation.pages |
784-794 |
en_US |
dc.publisher.place |
Oxford |
|
dc.publisher.place |
The definitive version is available at www3.interscience.wiley.com |
|
dc.identifier.pmid |
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15228488 |
|
dc.citation.jabbreviation |
Trop Med Int Health |
en_US |