Determinants of Delay in Seeking Malaria Treatment for Under-Five Children at Gambella Town, Southwest Ethiopia: A Case-Control Study

Abstract EN

Background.

Most of the malaria-related complications in children are due to delay in the treatment-seeking of caregivers.

The objective of this study was to identify determinants of delay in seeking malaria treatment for under-five children in Gambella town, Ethiopia.

Methods.

A case-control study was conducted in March 2017 among caregivers/parents consecutively included in the study.

Data were collected by face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire.

Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were, respectively, used for descriptive and analytical data analyses.

Adjusted odds ratios and 95% CI were, respectively, calculated to assess the strength of association and statistical significance.

Result.

A total of 153 cases and 153 control caregivers/parents participated in the study giving a response rate of 100%.

The mean age of cases and controls was 29.4 years (SD ± 6.0 years) and 29.63 years (SD ± 7.8 years), respectively.

Being housewife (AOR = 2.50; 95% CI: 1.47–4.22), having no history of child mortality (AOR = 3.70; 95% CI: 1.79–7.64), and chewing khat (AOR = 3.50; 95% CI: 1.57–7.68) were significantly associated with delay in seeking malaria treatment for under-five children among the caregivers.

Conclusion and Recommendation.

Comprehensive community-based malaria prevention and control education should be given for the caregivers in the town giving due emphasis to housewives, khat-chewers, and the caregivers with no story of child death to better promote early malaria treatment-seeking for under-five children.