Treatment Seeking Practices of Parents of Under-Fives' in IMNCI Implemented District of North India

Background: Childhood morbidity and mortality rates are high in India as compared to other Asian countries. These health indicator rates vary between states and are dependent on prevailing sociocultural factors and the health care delivery system; also both have a bearing on the health seeking behavior on community. Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness (IMNCI) envisions that family and community health practices, especially health care-seeking behaviors, are to be improved to reduce child morbidity and mortality. So this study was carried out to ascertain the treatment seeking practices of parents of under- fives in two blocks (plain and hilly areas) of Panchkula.

Material and Method: A cross sectional study was carried out in a district of Panchkula in 2010 (July- December). Multistage random sampling was used for selection of study population. 588 parents of under-five children were interviewed by using a pretested validated questionnaire. Data entry and analysis was done using SPSS 16.0.

Result: IMNCI was implemented in a district of Panchkula in 2007. Following which, in 2010 the treatment seeking behavior of the parents of under-five children were assessed. More than 80% of the children were shown to Health service providers (HSP) for ARI, 93% for diarrhea,92% for fever. More than 70 % of the under five children were taken to health facility in appropriate time whereas remaining 30% had primary and secondary delay. Majority (70 %) of them were taken to private health facilities. Health seeking behavior was better in hilly than plain region (P<0.005).

Conclusion: IMNCI strategy had significantly improved health seeking behavior of parents of underfive children in both the study regions but more in hilly region.