TheScientificWorldJournal
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TheScientificWorldJournal · Aug 2003
Prevalence of childhood illnesses and care-seeking practices in rural Uganda.
There is a declining trend of child health indicators in Uganda despite intensified program efforts to improve child care. For example, the infant mortality rate increased from 81/1,000 in 1995 to 88/1,000 in the year 2000. This paper presents results of a study that assessed factors responsible for this trend. ⋯ This late referral to health units was complicated by high costs of care, long distances to health units, poor attitude of health workers, lack of drugs at health units, and limited involvement of fathers in care of the children. The results of this study showed that although the perceptions of childhood diseases were high, the care-seeking practices were poor. In order to improve child care in this district, there is a need to address barriers to quality of care and to conduct further research to assess the role of cultural factors and male involvement in child care.