| Care-Seeking for Fever for Children Under the Age of Five Before and After the Free Healthcare Initiative in Burkina Faso: Evidence from Three Population-Based Surveys |
| Authors: |
Mariamawit Negatou, Mady Ouedraogo, Philippe Donnen, Elisabeth Paul, Sekou Samadoulougou, and Fati Kirakoya-Samadoulougou |
| Source: |
Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, Volume 14; DOI: https://doi.org/10.2147/RMHP.S297983 |
| Topic(s): |
Child health
Children under five
Fever
Health care utilization
Service utilization
|
| Country: |
Africa
Burkina Faso
|
| Published: |
APR 2021 |
| Abstract: |
Background: In 2016, a free healthcare policy (FHP) was implemented in Burkina Faso for children under the age of five. In our study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of care-seeking for a fever in children under the age of five before and after the implementation of the FHP and to analyze the determinants of not seeking care under the FHP.
Methods: The data of three nationally representative surveys were used to evaluate the trends of the prevalence of care-seeking. We performed a modified Poisson regression using a generalized estimating equation to determine the factors associated with not seeking care.
Results: The prevalence for care seeking increased from 57.5% (95% CI, 54.2– 60.8) in 2014 to 72.3% (95% CI, 68.1– 76.2) in 2017. Children from the poor quintile were less likely to seek care when compared to children from the poorest quintile (prevalence ratio (PR) = 0.7 (95% CI, 0.5– 0.9)). Caregivers who did not have messages regarding malaria in the past six months were more likely not to seek care (PR = 0.8 (95% CI, 0.7– 0.9)). Caregivers of children aged 36– 59 months were more likely not to seek care compared to those aged < 12 months (PR = 1.6 (95% CI, 1.2– 2.1)). Children from the Boucle du Mouhoun region (PR = 1.9 (95% CI, 1.2– 3.2)) and the Centre-Est region (PR = 1.9 (95% CI, 1.2– 3.0)) were more likely not to seek care compared to children from the Sud Ouest region.
Conclusion: Our study showed an increase in the prevalence of care-seeking after the implementation of the FHP. Even if this is encouraging, these findings highlight the critical importance of non-financial barriers to care-seeking. Maintaining FHP and tackling the barriers should be considered by policy makers to increase care-seeking. |
| Web: |
https://www.dovepress.com/care-seeking-for-fever-for-children-under-the-age-of-five-before-and-a-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-RMHP |
|