ArticleBMJ open2021
Health-seeking behaviours in a malaria endemic district in Lao People's Democratic Republic: a mixed methods study.
Article in BMJ open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 11 citations in OpenAlex.
- Determinants of delay in treatment-seeking among malaria patients attending health facilities in Ethiopia from 2010 to 2024: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Malaria journal · 2026Pooled it
- Challenges in Help-Seeking Behaviors among Rural Older People Mitigated through Family Physician-Driven Outreach: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Pooled it
- Implementation of a malaria prevention education intervention in Southern Ethiopia: a qualitative evaluation.BMC public health · 2022Trial
- Fine-scale maps of malaria incidence to inform risk stratification in Laos.Malaria journal · 2024Article
- A cost-effectiveness analysis of pre-pregnancy genetic screening for deafness: an empirical study in China.Frontiers in public health · 2023Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesThis mixed methods study was conducted to explore the barriers and facilitators for health-seeking behaviours in a malaria endemic district in Lao PDR.
designA convergent mixed methods design.
settingTwo malaria endemic villages in Thapangthong district, Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR.
participantsVillagers and healthcare workers in the two villages in Thapangthong district.
methodsIn the quantitative part, a pretested questionnaire was used to identify the health-seeking behaviours of the villagers. In the qualitative part, focus group discussions were employed to explore health-seeking behaviours of the villagers and in-depth interviews were used to explore the perceptions of the healthcare workers. Descriptive statistics were computed and multiple logistic regressions were used to identify the factors associated with perceived severity and perceived susceptibility. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. Quantitative and qualitative results were integrated in joint displays.
resultsIn the quantitative part, data were collected from 313 villagers from both villages. For malaria, 96.0% and 98.2% of villagers from villages A and B, respectively, would first seek treatment at public health facilities. Villagers who have not experienced malaria before were more likely to perceive that the consequences of malaria were serious compared with those who have experienced malaria before (adjusted OR=1.69, 95% CI: 1.03 to 2.75). However, qualitative data showed that villagers faced problems such as lack of medicines and medical equipment. Healthcare workers also mentioned the lack of manpower and equipment in the in-depth interviews. Nevertheless, villagers still preferred to seek treatment at the health center as the National Health Insurance was introduced.
conclusionsPublic health facility usage was high but barriers existed. Effective policy and enabling environment such as the introduction of the National Health Insurance could help accelerate the progress towards the malaria elimination goal. Moreover, the benefits could go beyond the context of malaria.
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