Fever and Careseeking

Percentage of children with fever in the 2 weeks preceding the survey; and among children with fever, percentage for whom advice or treatment was sought, percentage for whom advice or treatment was sought the same or next day following the onset of fever, and percentage who took antibiotic drugs

Definition

1)      Percentage of children under age 5 years with fever in the 2 weeks preceding the survey.

2)      Among children under age 5 years with fever in the 2 weeks preceding the survey, percentage for whom advice or treatment was sought.

3)      Among children under age 5 years with fever in the 2 weeks preceding the survey, percentage for whom advice or treatment was sought the same or next day following the onset of fever.

4)      Among children under age 5 with fever in the 2 weeks preceding the survey, percentage who took antibiotic drugs.

Coverage:

Population base: Living children under age 5 years (KR file)

Time period: Two weeks preceding the survey

Numerators:

1)      Number of living children under age 5 years with fever at any time during the 2 weeks preceding the survey (b5 = 1 & b19 < 60 & h22 = 1)

2)      Number of living children under age 5 years with a fever at any time during the 2 weeks preceding the interview for whom advice or treatment was sought (b5 = 1 & b19 < 60 & h22 = 1 & any of h32a – x = 1 except traditional practitioner (usually h32t))

3)      Number of living children under age 5 years with a fever at any time during the 2 weeks preceding the interview for whom advice or treatment was sought the same day or next day following the onset of fever (b5 = 1 & b19 < 60 & h22 = 1 & any of h32a – x = 1 excluding advice or treatment from a traditional practitioner (usually h32t) & h46b in 0:1)

4)      Number of living children under age 5 years with a fever at any time during the 2 weeks preceding the interview who took antibiotic drugs (b5 = 1 & h22 = 1 & (h37i = 1 or h37j = 1 or h37n= 1 or h37o = 1) [or ml13i = 1 or ml13j = 1 or ml13n = 1 or ml13o = 1])

Denominators:

a)       Numerator 1: Number of living children under age 5 (b5 = 1 & b19 < 60)

b)      Numerators 2, 3, and 4: Number of living children under age 5 with fever at any time during the 2 weeks preceding the survey (b5 = 1 & b19 < 60 and h22 = 1).

Variables: KR file.

Calculation

Numerator divided by denominator, multiplied by 100.

Handling of Missing Values

Missing data or “don’t know” responses on the question on fever are excluded from numerator 1, and from numerators and denominators 2, 3 & 4, assuming no illness.

Missing data or “don’t know” responses for whether sought advice or treatment and from whom are excluded from numerators 2 & 3, assuming no treatment sought from a health facility or provider.

Missing data or “don’t know” responses for whether the child took antibiotics are excluded from numerator 4, assuming no antibiotics were given.

Notes and Considerations

Indicators 2 & 3 include advice or treatment from the public sector, private medical sector, NGO medical sector, shops, markets, and itinerant drug sellers, but excludes advice or treatment from a traditional practitioner.

Changes over Time

For surveys prior to DHS-7, care seeking was defined differently. The indicator measured care seeking from a medical source or provider, and excluded pharmacy, shop, market, itinerant drug seller and traditional practitioner.

In DHS-8, NGO medical sector was added as a separate source category. Previously, it was lumped in with private medical sector.

References

Rutstein, S.O., S. Staveteig, R. Winter, and J. Yourkavitch. 2016. Urban child poverty, health, and survival in low- and middle-income countries. DHS Comparative Reports No. 40. Rockville, Maryland, USA: ICF International. https://www.dhsprogram.com/publications/publication-CR40-Comparative-Reports.cfm

Resources

DHS-8 Tabulation plan: Table 10.8 and Table 12.10

API Indicator IDs:

CH_FEVT_C_FEV, CH_FEVT_C_ABI

(API link, STATcompiler link)

MICS6 Indicator TC.26: Care-seeking for fever