Factors affecting health seeking behavior among community members in ward iii, Ishaka Bushenyi Municipality South Western Uganda

Abstract

In Uganda, health seeking behavior among community members is still at a small extend especially in rural areas. This is attributed to a number of unknown influencing factors. In ward III, Ishaka-Bushenyi municipality, most of the children are dying of malaria, malnutrition, measles, and opportunistic infections like diarrhea due to a high preference of home treatment and a tendency of using traditional medicine instead of seeking for health services. In order to determine factors affecting health seeking behavior, this study was carried out with the objective to determine the factors affecting the community members’ decision in seeking for health services mainly focusing on sociodemographic factors and health system related factors affecting health seeking behavior. Through a cross sectional descriptive study design employing qualitative approach and using a randomized simple sampling technique, a total of 192 participants were recruited. The study found out that individuals’ age, education level, sex and occupation had a great impact on one’s health seeking behavior. Also, a long distance from the facility, expensive medical services, inadequate staffing and rudeness of health workers were contributing factors affecting health seeking behavior among individuals. It is recommended that health units should be extended nearer to the community members, government should increase the staffing and motivation of staffs, public sensitization through radios, television and other communication medias on early seeking behaviors as well as women empowerment on health policies.