Health seeking behaviour of parents for children with pneumonia.

INTRODUCTION: Health knowledge seeking behaviour is increasing throughout the world. Our study is trying to find out this attitude among parents of children with pneumonia. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted to analyse all admitted children with pneumonia at Dhulikhel Hospital from September 1, 2006 to August 31, 2007. "Duration of illness at home prior to hospital presentation" was taken as the index of health seeking behaviour of the parents. RESULTS: The mean duration of illness prior to hospital presentation for males and females were 4.40 days and 4.16 days respectively (P > 0.05). Children who had been hospitalised in the past had a mean of 4.93 days; those never hospitalised before had 4.08 days (P > 0.05). Children from Bhaktapur and Kathmandu were brought to the hospital the earliest. Younger children were brought to the hospital sooner; children less than five years were brought earlier, particularly infants. CONCLUSIONS: Health seeking behaviour of the parents is affected by age of the children and geographical location. However, previous hospitalisation of the child and their gender do not affect health seeking behaviour of the parents.

Female sterilization acceptors at permanent and temporary service delivery settings in Nepal.

PIP: Researchers analyzed data collected during August 1991-February 1992 to compare characteristics of female sterilization acceptors at permanent service delivery points with those of acceptors at outreach camps. 4320 currently married women aged 15-49 out of 25,384 ever-married women aged 15-49 were protected from pregnancy by sterilization. 1665 of the women had undergone sterilization at a hospital and 515 had done so at a camp. Rural women were more likely to have received sterilization services from a camp than urban women (94.9% vs. 83.1%). Most acceptors of female sterilization were illiterate, regardless of service delivery point (88.9% for hospital group and 92.2% for camp group). Both groups shared the same mean age (35 years), parity (4), number of living sons (2.3), and number of living daughters (1.7). Among birth spacing methods and vasectomy, vasectomy had the highest level of awareness in both groups (62.3% for hospital group and 64.4% for camp group). The contraceptive implant Norplant and the IUD had the lowest level of awareness, especially in the camp group (10.2% and 6.7% vs. 14.2% and 11.3%, respectively). The camp group had consistently lower spontaneous awareness for spacing methods than the hospital group. Less than 10% of both groups regretted their decision to undergo sterilization. The main reason for regret in both groups was side effects (81%), followed by desire for another child (18% for hospital group and 13% for camp group). Female sterilization was the first contraceptive method used by most women (87.5% for hospital group and 89.9% for camp group). Most camps did not offer IUDs and Norplant. These results suggest that camps have expanded the availability of and accessibility to sterilization services in Nepal without jeopardizing the quality of sterilization services. Yet there is a need to strengthen access to information about other contraceptive methods and to make them available.^ieng

Family planning in Nepal: an update.

PIP: Between 1976 and 1991, awareness of at least one modern contraceptive method among currently married women of reproductive age in Nepal increased from 21% to 93%. The largest increase in awareness occurred for spacing methods (2.6-7.2%, vs. 2-2.2% for permanent methods). Knowledge remained highest among permanent methods, however (in 1991, 85-89% vs. 19-66%). Among women familiar with any modern method, 24.1% currently used a method in 1991. The current contraceptive prevalence rate was linked to a reduction of around 1.5 potential births. Permanent methods remained the most popular contraceptive method used among currently married women (in 1991, 7.5-12.1% vs. 0.2-7.5%). During 1981-1991, contraceptive use increased on average 1.6%/year. The percentage of women who knew where to obtain family planning methods increased more than two-fold (33-74%), likely reflecting a combination of new service outlets and increased knowledge about existing and new service outlets. In 1991, for 75% of currently married women, service outlets were still at least one hour from their homes. Public health facilities, especially hospitals and health posts, were the main source of contraceptive methods (93%). In the private sector, pharmacies were the main source of oral contraceptives and condoms while hospitals were for other methods. In 1991, 86% of current users had never switched contraceptive methods. As each contraceptive method became available, a new pool of users emerged. Between 1976 and 1991, the desired family size fell by 0.8 children. These statistics suggest that Nepal has begun its fertility transition and an accelerated increase in contraceptive use. Nepal's family planning program is now challenged to expand and strengthen consistent quality services to meet the increased demand for contraceptives.^ieng