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COMMUNITY AND FACILITY SURVEYS ILLUMINATE THE PATHWAY TO CHILD SURVIVAL IN LIBEN WOREDA, ETHIOPIA

D. MASH, K. ASCHENAKI, T. KEDAMO, K. WALTERNSPERGER, K. GEBREYES, O. PASHA, S. MANONCOURT

Abstract


ABSTRACT
Objectives: To apply "Pathway to Survival" analysis to baseline assessments to inform
integrated management of childhood illness programmes.
Design: A cross-sectional survey evaluating community-based knowledge, practices and
coverage and health facility quality.
Setting: Liben Woreda (population 122, 410), a district in Borana Zone, of Ethiopia's
Oromia region, from August 1997-Febuary 1998.
Subjects: Three hundred and sixty eight mother-child pairs (age <24 months) seen in
the community and 28 children (age<5 years) in health facilities.
Results: Of the 368 mothers interviewed 50% reported that their child was ill in the
previous two weeks (184/368). Amongst the 101 mothers of children under the age of
six months only 24% reported exclusive breast-feeding (24/101). There were 194 children
who should have completed their immunisation schedule; only 17% of them had done
so (33/194). Amongst the 111 children who had diarrhoea, only 17% had received home
treatment with ORS (19/111). Thirty per cent of mothers of children with possible
pneumonia (25/83) and 28% who reported malaria (14/50) sought appropriate care.
Amongst those caregivers seen at the health facility only 26% had an understanding
of treatment recommendations.
Conclusions: Based on the pathway to survival analysis, mother's knowledge of illness
recognition is limited and they practice both home care and care seeking poorly. Thus
few children are likely to receive and comply with standard case management.

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The East African Medical Journal is published monthly by Kenya Medical Association.

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