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Committed
to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW |
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Vol. 5 Num 145
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Sun. October 17, 2004
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Star Health
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Health and science bulletin
Sociocultural explanation for delays in careseeking for Pneumonia
While pneumonia is a major cause of death among children in Bangladesh, few children with pneumonia receive timely therapy from trained health providers. Research was conducted to examine how illness beliefs of parents regarding pneumonia guide treatment patterns. Parents commonly described belief theories involving consumption of foods that possess cooling properties or over exposure to cold substances, causing the child to contract what is locally perceived as a "cold" condition. Most parents indicated that their first line of treatment involves the application of home remedies designed to "heat" the body; such an approach likely delays care-seeking outside the household. Care-seeking patterns appear to vary according to age-specific interpretations of the child's condition. Intervention strategies designed to reduce mortality associated with pneumonia need to recognize and address parental beliefs and constraints, which are barriers for seeking prompt and appropriate health care.Source: ICDDR,B
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