Health seeking behavior of β-thalassemia major children and its attributes: An epidemiological study in Eastern India

• Main Authors: Bijit Biswas, Narendra Nath Naskar, Keya Basu, Aparajita Dasgupta, Rivu Basu, Bobby Paul
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2020-01-01
• Series: Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care
• Subjects: caregiver; children; health seeking behavior; knowledge; thalassemia
• Online Access: http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2020;volume=9;issue=7;spage=3586;epage=3592;aulast=Biswas

Background: Health seeking behaviour (HSB) of thalassemic children is one of the rarely explored entity. Aim: To explore HSB of β-Thalassemia Major (β-TM) children and its attributes. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional design, observational study, conducted among 328 β-TM children and their caregivers attending a tertiary care health facility of Kolkata; West Bengal situated in Eastern India in between May 2016 and April 2017 with a structured schedule. The data were analyzed using SPSS 16.0 version. Results: At the disease onset, 79.6% of them consulted an allopathic doctor. In multivariable logistic regression model, those who were residing in urban area [adjusted odds ratio, AOR: 3.2 (1.2-8.7)], Hindu by religion[AOR: 3.0 (1.2-7.4)], had educated parents [AOR: 3.2 (1.1-9.2)], no family history of the disease [AOR: 3.6 (1.5-8.5)], belonged to higher socio-economic status (Class II, III and IV) [AOR: 2.9 (1.2-6.8)] and had caregiver with satisfactory knowledge related to the disease (≥4)[AOR: 12.2 (5.1-29.6)] were significantly more likely to seek healthcare from an allopathic doctor at onset of the disease. When we consider their HSB till date, 61.0% continued to consult allopathic doctors only. The multivariable determinants of satisfactory HSB till date were place of residence [AOR: 2.7 (1.4-5.2)], caste [AOR: 3.3 (1.6-6.7)], religion [AOR: 3.4 (1.7-6.9)], family history of the disease [AOR: 2.3 (1.2-4.6)] and caregiver's knowledge related to the disease [AOR: 5.3 (3.1-9.2)]. Conclusions: HSB of the study participants were significantly associated with their caregiver's knowledge regarding the disease, parents' educational level, socio-economic status, caste, religion and family history of the disease.