Pneumonia among children under five in Uganda: symptom recognition and actions taken by caretakers
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Date
2014
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
African health sciences
Abstract
caretakers recognized the danger signs and sought appropriate treatment promptly.
Methods: We interviewed 278 caretakers in Mukono district Uganda, whose under-five children had suffered from probable
pneumonia two weeks prior to the evaluation. Through structured questionnaires we assessed caretaker’s knowledge
about danger signs among under-five children with pneumonia and the actions taken to manage probable pneumonia using
descriptive statistics. We also conducted in-depth interviews with caretakers and community health workers.
Results: Lower chest wall in drawing (a pneumonia specific danger sign) was mentioned by only 9.4% of the caretakers.
Among the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI) standard general danger signs, inability to feed was the
most commonly cited danger sign (37.8%) followed by incessant vomiting (10.1%). No caretaker mentioned all the four
standard general danger signs. In terms of actions taken, most caretakers offered drinks (49.6%) and traditional herbs
(45.3%) while, 31.7% gave antibiotics.
Conclusions: Caretaker’s knowledge about danger signs was inadequate in relation to the IMCI guidelines. Caretakers used
both modern and traditional forms of treatment to manage pneumonia. Comprehensive interventions geared at increasing
symptom recognition and improving health-seeking behavior are needed to reverse this trend.
Description
Keywords
Pneumonia, Knowledge, Dangers signs, Care seeking, Uganda
Citation
Tuhebwe, D., Tumushabe, E., Leontsini, E., & Wanyenze, R. K. (2014). Pneumonia among children under five in Uganda: symptom recognition and actions taken by caretakers. African health sciences, 14(4), 993-1000.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v14i4.31