TY - JOUR
T1 - Local fever illness classifications
T2 - Implications for home management of malaria strategies
AU - Nsungwa-Sabiiti, Jesca
AU - Källander, Karin
AU - Nsabagasani, Xavier
AU - Namusisi, Kellen
AU - Pariyo, George
AU - Johansson, Annika
AU - Tomson, Göran
AU - Peterson, Stefan
PY - 2004/11
Y1 - 2004/11
N2 - BACKGROUND: The Ugandan Ministry of Health has adopted the WHO Home Based Fever Management strategy (HBM) to improve access to antimalarial drugs for prompt (<24 h) presumptive treatment of all fevers in children under 5 years. Village volunteers will distribute pre-packed antimalarials free of charge to caretakers of febrile children 2 months to 5 years ('Homapaks'). OBJECTIVE: To explore the local understanding and treatment practices for childhood fever illnesses and discuss implications for the HBM strategy. METHODS: Focus Group Discussions were held with child caretakers in three rural communities in Kasese district, West Uganda, and analysed for content in respect to local illness classifications and associated treatments for childhood fevers. RESULTS: Local understanding of fever illnesses and associated treatments was complex. Some fever illness classifications were more commonly mentioned, including 'Fever of Mosquito', 'Chest Problem', 'the Disease', 'Stomach Wounds' and 'Jerks', all of which could be biomedical malaria. Although caretakers refer to all these classifications as 'fever' treatment differed; some were seen as requiring urgent professional western treatment and others were considered severe but 'non-western' and would preferentially be treated with traditional remedies. CONCLUSIONS: The HBM strategy does not address local community understanding of 'fever' and its influence on treatment. While HBM improves drug access, Homapaks are likely to be used for only those fevers where 'western' treatment is perceived appropriate, implying continued delayed and undertreatment of potential malaria. Hence, HBM strategies also need to address local perceptions of febrile illness and adapt information and training material accordingly.
AB - BACKGROUND: The Ugandan Ministry of Health has adopted the WHO Home Based Fever Management strategy (HBM) to improve access to antimalarial drugs for prompt (<24 h) presumptive treatment of all fevers in children under 5 years. Village volunteers will distribute pre-packed antimalarials free of charge to caretakers of febrile children 2 months to 5 years ('Homapaks'). OBJECTIVE: To explore the local understanding and treatment practices for childhood fever illnesses and discuss implications for the HBM strategy. METHODS: Focus Group Discussions were held with child caretakers in three rural communities in Kasese district, West Uganda, and analysed for content in respect to local illness classifications and associated treatments for childhood fevers. RESULTS: Local understanding of fever illnesses and associated treatments was complex. Some fever illness classifications were more commonly mentioned, including 'Fever of Mosquito', 'Chest Problem', 'the Disease', 'Stomach Wounds' and 'Jerks', all of which could be biomedical malaria. Although caretakers refer to all these classifications as 'fever' treatment differed; some were seen as requiring urgent professional western treatment and others were considered severe but 'non-western' and would preferentially be treated with traditional remedies. CONCLUSIONS: The HBM strategy does not address local community understanding of 'fever' and its influence on treatment. While HBM improves drug access, Homapaks are likely to be used for only those fevers where 'western' treatment is perceived appropriate, implying continued delayed and undertreatment of potential malaria. Hence, HBM strategies also need to address local perceptions of febrile illness and adapt information and training material accordingly.
KW - Home treatment
KW - Illness classification
KW - Malaria
KW - Paediatric fever
KW - Uganda
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2004.01319.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2004.01319.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 15548315
AN - SCOPUS:9644300986
SN - 1360-2276
VL - 9
SP - 1191
EP - 1199
JO - Tropical Medicine and International Health
JF - Tropical Medicine and International Health
IS - 11
ER -