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Health care switching behaviour of malaria patients in a Kenyan rural community

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  • Nyamongo, I. K.

Abstract

Patients ordinarily use multiple sources of health care. This study reveals the transitions patients in a rural region of Gusii, Kenya are likely to make beyond the homestead in their search for alternatives to combat malaria. Malaria is a very common health problem in the region resulting in enormous human and economic losses. Data on health care seeking behaviour were collected over a 10-month period. The primary data for this paper is from malaria-focused ethnographic interviews with 35 adults (18 women and 17 men). Results show that patients are more likely to start with self-treatment at home as they wait for a time during which they observe their progress. This allows them to minimise expenditure incurred as a result of the sickness. They are more likely to choose treatments available outside the home during subsequent decisions. The decisions include visiting a private health care practitioner, a government health centre or going to a hospital when the situation gets desperate. Knowledge and duration of sickness, the anticipated cost of treatment, and a patient's judgement of the intensity of sickness determine their choice of treatment.

Suggested Citation

  • Nyamongo, I. K., 2002. "Health care switching behaviour of malaria patients in a Kenyan rural community," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 54(3), pages 377-386, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:54:y:2002:i:3:p:377-386
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    Cited by:

    1. Prateek Arora & Nirvikar Singh & Abhijit Visaria, 2023. "Healthcare Costs, Choice of Providers and Patient Satisfaction: Survey Evidence from India," Journal of Quantitative Economics, Springer;The Indian Econometric Society (TIES), vol. 21(3), pages 593-616, September.
    2. Thomas Porter & Jane Chuma & Catherine Molyneux, 2009. "Barriers to managing chronic illness among urban households in coastal Kenya," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 21(2), pages 271-290.
    3. Haenssgen, Marco J., 2018. "The struggle for digital inclusion: Phones, healthcare, and marginalisation in rural India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 358-374.
    4. Haenssgen, Marco J. & Charoenboon, Nutcha & Zanello, Giacomo, 2021. "You’ve got a friend in me: How social networks and mobile phones facilitate healthcare access among marginalised groups in rural Thailand and Lao PDR," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    5. John W Stanifer & Uptal D Patel & Francis Karia & Nathan Thielman & Venance Maro & Dionis Shimbi & Humphrey Kilaweh & Matayo Lazaro & Oliver Matemu & Justin Omolo & David Boyd & Comprehensive Kidney D, 2015. "The Determinants of Traditional Medicine Use in Northern Tanzania: A Mixed-Methods Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(4), pages 1-17, April.
    6. Miller, Elizabeth M., 2011. "Maternal health and knowledge and infant health outcomes in the Ariaal people of northern Kenya," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(8), pages 1266-1274.
    7. Raushan, Rajesh & Mutharayappa, R., 2014. "Social disparity in child morbidity and curative care: Investigating for determining factors from rural India," Working Papers 314, Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore.
    8. Friend-du Preez, Natalie & Cameron, Noël & Griffiths, Paula, 2013. "“So they believe that if the baby is sick you must give drugs…” The importance of medicines in health-seeking behaviour for childhood illnesses in urban South Africa," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 43-52.
    9. Kamat, Vinay R., 2006. ""I thought it was only ordinary fever!" cultural knowledge and the micropolitics of therapy seeking for childhood febrile illness in Tanzania," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(12), pages 2945-2959, June.
    10. Masha F. Somi & James R. G. Butler & Farshid Vahid & Joseph D. Njau & Salim Abdulla, 2009. "Household responses to health risks and shocks: A study from rural Tanzania raises some methodological issues," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 21(2), pages 200-211.

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