Child Healthcare Sees Dramatic Turnaround

Care-seeking surges after period of decline, new study reveals

A recent analysis of childhood illness care-seeking trends shows a remarkable recovery in healthcare access, particularly for younger children. After a significant drop between 2006 and 2012-2013, a strong upward trajectory emerged by 2019.

Shifting Trends in Child Healthcare

In 2006, just over 17% of children under five experienced illness, with only 30% receiving medical attention. This figure plummeted to 18.5% during 2012-2013. However, by 2019, the situation dramatically improved, with 74.6% of sick children seeking medical care.

Gender Disparities Emerge in Care Seeking

While in 2006 care-seeking was gender-neutral, subsequent years saw a significant trend towards prioritizing male children. By 2012-2013 and again in 2019, male children were more likely to receive medical care for illnesses.

Regional and Age-Related Variations

Geographical location played a crucial role in care access, with notable regional disparities evident across study periods. In 2019, regions like Rangpur showed an impressive 84.7% care-seeking rate, a stark contrast to earlier periods. Age also influenced care-seeking; infants under 11 months were prioritized in 2006 and 2012-2013, but by 2019, children aged 48-59 months saw the highest rate of medical attention, suggesting an increased awareness of health needs in older age groups.

Maternal education’s influence on care-seeking decreased by 2019, potentially due to broader improvements in healthcare access. Conversely, the educational attainment of household heads became a more significant factor. The impact of religion on care-seeking diminished over time, while ethnic disparities in healthcare access became more pronounced, with Bengali participants consistently seeking more care.

Socioeconomic Factors and Health Practices

Breastfeeding status emerged as a significant factor in care-seeking by 2019. While socioeconomic status (wealth quintiles) only briefly influenced care-seeking in 2012-2013, the wealthiest quintile showed a notable increase in seeking care by 2019. The number of young children in a household also affected care-seeking patterns, though this association became insignificant by 2019.

Improved hygiene, indicated by the availability of hand-washing facilities, correlated with higher care-seeking rates in earlier years but this link weakened by 2019. Despite overall improvements, childhood stunting did not show a significant association with care-seeking in the most recent study period.

Multivariate Analysis Reveals Key Determinants

Multivariate analysis confirmed that female children were consistently less likely to receive care than their male counterparts throughout the study. Regional differences were stark in 2019, with Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Mymensingh divisions showing significantly higher care-seeking rates compared to Dhaka. Conversely, Sylhet division displayed the lowest rates.

While younger children were prioritized in earlier years, by 2019, those aged 12-23 months showed a slightly lower likelihood of seeking care. Maternal education showed an increasing positive association with care-seeking, and household heads with secondary education were more likely to seek care for their children. Significant disparities persisted among ethnic groups, with ‘Others’ seeking substantially less care than Bengali participants in 2019.

In 2019, the wealthiest quintile demonstrated a higher propensity for seeking care. The number of children in a household no longer significantly influenced care-seeking, and the availability of hand-washing facilities and childhood stunting impacts were not significant by 2019. Factors such as area of residence, religion, and breastfeeding status showed limited association with care-seeking behavior across all periods.