Timely treatment-seeking for diarrheal diseases among caregivers with under-five children in public hospitals of Sidama region, Ethiopia: Unmatched case-control study

Abstract

Introduction: A significant proportion of under-five diarrhea-related morbidity and mortality can be reduced by timely initiation of treatment. This study assessed determinants of timely treatment-seeking behavior for diarrheal disease among caregivers with under-five children in public hospitals in Sidama region, Ethiopia. Methods: A facility-based unmatched case-control study was conducted among public hospitals. Data were collected using KOBO Collect with a smartphone and analyzed using SPSS 26. Results: Three hundred two cases and 302 controls were included. Being urban resident (AOR = 0.251 (95% CI, 0.157, 0.401, p = 0.000)), mothers with no formal education (AOR = 0.397 (95% CI, 0.222, 0.713, p = 0.002)), child age < 24 months (AOR = 0.210 (95% CI, 0.121, 0.364, p = 0.000)), above 120 min walking distance from nearby health facility [AOR = 0.426 (95% CI, 0.211, 0.861, p = 0.017)] were negatively associated. Whereas, reported cost of treatment easy to pay (AOR = 7.988 (95% CI, 3.734, 17.091, p = 0.000)), community-based health insurance (CBHI) membership (AOR = 4.940 (95% CI, 3.124, 7.812, p = 0.000)), and a history of previous diarrhea (AOR = 1.702 (95% CI, 1.021, 2.837, p = 0.041)) were positively associated with timely treatment seeking behavior. Conclusion: Being urban residents, caregivers’ educational status, child age <24 months, and long walking distance from nearby health facility, low-cost of treatment, being a CBHI member, and a child with a history of previous diarrhea were independently associated with timely treatment-seeking. Therefore, it is important to design strategies to improve these factors by involving relevant stakeholders. Future researchers should consider strong designs like prospective cohort involving multiple health facilities to identify causal factors for timely treatment-seeking behavior.