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Children and medicines: self-treatment of common illnesses among Luo schoolchildren in western Kenya

Author

Listed:
  • Geissler, P. W.
  • Nokes, K.
  • Prince, R. J.
  • Achieng' Odhiambo, R.
  • Aagaard-Hansen, J.
  • Ouma, J. H.

Abstract

In a rural area of western Kenya, primary schoolchildren's health seeking behaviour in response to common illnesses was investigated. 57 primary schoolchildren (age 11-17 years, median 13 years) were interviewed weekly about their health status and health seeking activities for 30 weeks. The children each experienced on average 25 illness episodes during this period. Most episodes could be categorised into 4 groups: 'cold', 'headache', 'abdominal complaints' and 'injuries'. One fifth (21%) of the illness episodes were serious enough to keep the children from school. In 28% of them, an adult was consulted, while 72% were not reported to an adult caretaker. Of the episodes without adult involvement, 81% remained untreated, while 19% were treated by the children themselves with either herbal or Western medicines. Of all the medicines taken by the children, two thirds were provided or facilitated by adults (assisted treatment) and one third taken by the children themselves without adult involvement (self-treatment). Among boys, the proportion of illnesses, which were self-treated increased with age from 12% in the youngest age group ( 14 years). In girls, the proportion of illnesses which were self-treated was consistently lower than among boys and remained constant around 9% for all age groups. The proportion of Western pharmaceuticals used for self-treatment increased with age from 44% in the youngest age group to 63% in the oldest (average 52% Western pharmaceuticals). Again, there were differences between boys and girls: among the youngest age group, boys were twice as likely to use pharmaceuticals than girls (62 versus 32% of the self-treatments, respectively) and in the oldest age group they were nearly three times more likely (75 versus 25%, respectively). These differences in self-treatment practices and choice of medicines between girls and boys may reflect the higher income potential of boys, who can earn money by fishing. Pharmaceuticals were generally preferred for the treatment of headache and fevers, or colds, while herbal remedies were the preferred choice for the treatment of abdominal complaints and wounds. The most commonly used pharmaceuticals were antimalarials (mainly chloroquine), painkillers and antipyretics (mainly aspirin and paracetamol), which were stocked in most small shops in the village at low prices and readily sold to children. Throughout primary school age Kenyan children are growing into a pluralistic medical practice, integrating Western pharmaceuticals into the local herbal medical system, and gradually become autonomous agents in their health care.

Suggested Citation

  • Geissler, P. W. & Nokes, K. & Prince, R. J. & Achieng' Odhiambo, R. & Aagaard-Hansen, J. & Ouma, J. H., 2000. "Children and medicines: self-treatment of common illnesses among Luo schoolchildren in western Kenya," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 50(12), pages 1771-1783, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:50:y:2000:i:12:p:1771-1783
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Michael Kremer & Edward Miguel, 2007. "The Illusion of Sustainability," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 122(3), pages 1007-1065.
    2. Santah, Colette & Bröer, Christian, 2022. "Agency through medicalization: Ghanaian children navigating illness, medicine and adult resistance," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 315(C).
    3. Edward Miguel & Michael Kremer, 2001. "Worms: Education and Health Externalities in Kenya," NBER Working Papers 8481, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Ice, Gillian H. & Sadruddin, Aalyia F.A. & Vagedes, Amy & Yogo, Jaja & Juma, Elizabeth, 2012. "Stress associated with caregiving: An examination of the stress process model among Kenyan Luo elders," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(12), pages 2020-2027.
    5. Sato, Azusa, 2012. "Do Inequalities in Health Care Utilization in Developing Countries Change When We Take into Account Traditional Medicines?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(11), pages 2275-2289.
    6. Onyango-Ouma, W. & Aagaard-Hansen, J. & Jensen, B.B., 2005. "The potential of schoolchildren as health change agents in rural western Kenya," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(8), pages 1711-1722, October.
    7. Godoy, Ricardo & Reyes-Garcia, Victoria & Vadez, Vincent & Leonard, William R. & Huanca, Tomas & Bauchet, Jonathan, 2005. "Human capital, wealth, and nutrition in the Bolivian Amazon," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 3(1), pages 139-162, March.
    8. Kempter, Elisabeth & Upadhayay, Neha Bhardwaj, 2022. "Uncovering the role of education in the uptake of preventive measures against Malaria in the African population," University of Tübingen Working Papers in Business and Economics 155, University of Tuebingen, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, School of Business and Economics.
    9. Geneau, Robert & Massae, Patrick & Courtright, Paul & Lewallen, Susan, 2008. "Using qualitative methods to understand the determinants of patients' willingness to pay for cataract surgery: A study in Tanzania," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(3), pages 558-568, February.
    10. Michael Kremer & Edward Miguel, 2003. "Networks, social learning, and technology adoption: The case of deworming drugs in kenya," Natural Field Experiments 00312, The Field Experiments Website.
    11. Hampshire, Kate R. & Porter, Gina & Owusu, Samuel Asiedu & Tanle, Augustine & Abane, Albert, 2011. "Out of the reach of children? Young people's health-seeking practices and agency in Africa's newly-emerging therapeutic landscapes," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(5), pages 702-710, September.

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