Background: Infant and child mortality rates due to febrile
illnesses are high in resource poor countries especially in sub
Saharan Africa. The World Health Organization estimates that
seeking prompt and appropriate care could reduce child
deaths due to acute respiratory infections, by 20%. There is
high disease burden from febrile illnesses with malaria
contributing 30-50% of outpatient burden and 35% of hospital
admissions.
Objective: This is to measure the effect of sociodemographic
status of mothers on the management of febrile
illnesses in under-fives.
Methods: This is a 2-year retrospective survey. A proforma
was used to retrieve information from the case notes of underfives
who presented with febrile illness in a tertiary health
institution in Anambra State from January 2006 to December
2008.
Results: Out of a total of 1000 under-fives that presented in
the children's outpatient and children's emergency room in
the institution during the study period, 400 had febrile illness
with malaria accounting for (32.5%) 130 cases of the febrile
conditions. Majority of the mothers, 50% (200) were between
the ages of 26 and 30 years, and 25%; (100) were illiterate
mothers. Fifty percent (200) were traders; 12.5% (50) artisans;
25% (100) were full time housewives, 12.5% (50) were civil
servants, while 25.0% (100) did not receive any form of formal
education.
Conclusion: The fourth Millennium Development Goal
(MDG) is to reduce child and infant mortality in the world by
two thirds by 2015. As such an understanding of the roles that
socio-demographic factors play in improving health and
health-seeking behavior is important for public health policy.
Findings of this study will equip stakeholders with the
necessary input for planning and implementation towards an
effective child health care services delivery and attainment of
the MDG 4.