Health facility practices and patterns of prescription influencing health-seeking behaviour among caregivers of children diagnosed with pneumonia in Endebess Sub-county, Kenya

Abstract

Pneumonia accounts for 16% of all child deaths in Kenya, and it is the second killer of children under the age of five. Pneumonia burden is attributed to inadequate access to healthcare and poor health-seeking by caregivers. Endebess caregivers report delays of 1-14 days and subject their children to medicine from shops before visiting a hospital, as evidenced by the history of the presenting illness in patient files. In addition, irrational prescription has been demonstrated regardless of clinical guidelines. This study explored health facility practices and drug prescription patterns that influence health-seeking behaviour in Endebess Sub-county, Kenya.