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Care-Seeking Dynamics among Patients with Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension in Selected Rural Settings in Kenya

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  • Miriam Karinja

    (Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
    University of Basel, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
    Center for Research in Therapeutic Sciences (CREATES), Strathmore University, Nairobi 00100, Kenya)

  • Goonaseelan Pillai

    (CP+ Associates GmbH, 4102 Basel, Switzerland
    Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa)

  • Raymond Schlienger

    (Quantitative Safety and Epidemiology, Chief Medical Office & Patient Safety, Novartis Pharma AG, 4033 Basel, Switzerland)

  • Marcel Tanner

    (Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
    University of Basel, 4001 Basel, Switzerland)

  • Bernhards Ogutu

    (Center for Research in Therapeutic Sciences (CREATES), Strathmore University, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
    Centre for Clinical Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi 00100, Kenya)

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus and hypertension are two common non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that often coexist in patients. However, health-seeking behaviour in patients with diabetes mellitus or hypertension has not been extensively studied especially in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to examine care-seeking dynamics among participants diagnosed with diabetes and/or hypertension across nine counties in rural Kenya. We conducted a cross-sectional study among adults diagnosed with diabetes and/or hypertension through face-to-face interviews. Of the 1100 participants, 69.9% had hypertension, 15.5% diabetes while 14.7% had both. The mean age of the respondents was 64 years. The majority of the respondents (86%) were on allopathic treatment. Hospital admission, having a good self-rated health status and having social support for illness, were positively associated with appropriate health-seeking behaviour while use of alcohol and pharmacy or chemist as source of treatment were negatively associated with appropriate health-seeking behaviour. Our study found a high prevalence of appropriate health-seeking behaviour among respondents with the majority obtaining care from government facilities. The results are evidence that improving public health care services can promote appropriate health-seeking behaviour for non-communicable diseases and thus improve health outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Miriam Karinja & Goonaseelan Pillai & Raymond Schlienger & Marcel Tanner & Bernhards Ogutu, 2019. "Care-Seeking Dynamics among Patients with Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension in Selected Rural Settings in Kenya," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-15, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:11:p:2016-:d:237660
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Maryam Bigdeli & Bart Jacobs & Chean Rithy Men & Kristine Nilsen & Wim Van Damme & Bruno Dujardin, 2016. "Access to Treatment for Diabetes and Hypertension in Rural Cambodia: Performance of Existing Social Health Protection Schemes," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(1), pages 1-18, January.
    2. Da Feng & Ray Serrano & Ting Ye & Shangfeng Tang & Lei Duan & Yuan Xu & Jian Yang & Yuan Liang & Shanquan Chen & Zhanchun Feng & Liang Zhang, 2016. "What Contributes to the Regularity of Patients with Hypertension or Diabetes Seeking Health Services? A Pilot Follow-Up, Observational Study in Two Sites in Hubei Province, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-14, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ryuichi Ohta & Chiaki Sano, 2022. "Associations between Perception of Help-Seeking Behaviors and Quality of Life among Older People in Rural Communities: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-10, October.

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