 Child malaria treatment practices among mothers in KenyaHalima Mwenesi, Trudy Harpham and Robert W. Snow Social Science & Medicine, 1995, vol. 40, issue 9, 1271-1277 Abstract: A study of 883 mothers with children aged 0-9 years was undertaken in Kilifi district on the Kenyan coast in order to examine child malaria treatment practices. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to investigate: whether complications of childhood malaria were recognized; decision-making dynamics in treatment-seeking; and the extent and reasons for the use of proprietary treatment. Childhood malaria was perceived as a mild, everyday illness, not preventable but treatable. The link between malaria and mosquitoes was not recognized. Mothers recognized convulsions, anaemia and splenomegaly but did not link them to malaria. Antimalarial drugs were not given or were withdrawn from children suffering from these conditions. Ill children were treated promptly by purchase of over-the-counter drugs at retail outlets. The health education implications of these findings are discussed. Keywords: malaria; child; Kenya; Kilifi; health-seeking; behaviour; drug; use; retail; outlets (search for similar items in EconPapers) Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:socmed:v:40:y:1995:i:9:p:1271-1277 Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from Access Statistics for this article Social Science & Medicine is currently edited by Ichiro (I.) Kawachi and S.V. (S.V.) Subramanian More articles in Social Science & Medicine from Elsevier |
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