Factors Influencing Health Seeking Behavior Among Parents with Children Under Five Years in Katanga, kampala District.

Abstract

Introduction The purpose of the study was to explore health seeking behavior among parents with children under five years in Katanga. Methodology The study used a cross sectional study design that utilized quantitative methods of data collection. A total of 384 participants constituted the sample size. These participates were selected from the Katanga using simple random sampling.

Results Majority 40(66%) of the respondents were moving a distance of 1 – 5 km from home to the health facility, these had no big distance to cover that is why they used to seek treatment for children under five years with infectious diseases. Respondents 25(41%) who never went to school, lacked information, so they could not take children Hospital. Most 30(50%) of the respondents did not have any income at all. This explains why they were not taking children early enough to the hospital to get treatment. Many28(46%) of the respondents didn’t know the causes of diseases, because they were un educated, only a few educated parents / care takers knew the causes of diseases and were seeking care from the hospital for their sick children under five years.

Recommendations The Ministry of Health through health workers should health educate the community on treatment and prevention of diseases.