Socio-Cultural Determinants of Health-Seeking Behaviour on the Kenyan Coast: A Qualitative Study

TLDR

Severe childhood illnesses are a major public health challenge in Africa, worsened by suboptimal parental health‑seeking responses. The study examined Kenyan coastal parents’ health‑seeking behaviour to reduce severe childhood illness impact and highlighted the need to target fathers in interventions. Researchers conducted in‑depth interviews with 53 caregivers from two rural clinics, assessed health‑seeking patterns, and explored traditional healer consultations for supernatural attribution, chronic illness, and prevention. Biomedical medicine was the most common first treatment, yet traditional healing remained salient; decision‑making involved elders, parents, and fathers as ultimate decision makers, indicating health systems should integrate traditional healing to improve access.

Abstract

Severe childhood illnesses present a major public health challenge for Africa, which is aggravated by a suboptimal response to the child's health problems with reference to the health-seeking behaviour of the parents or guardians. We examined the health-seeking behaviour of parents at the Kenyan coast because understanding impediments to optimal health-seeking behaviour could greatly contribute to reducing the impact of severe illness on children's growth and development.Health-seeking behaviour, and the factors influencing this behaviour, were examined in two traditional communities. We held in-depth interviews with 53 mothers, fathers and caregivers from two rural clinics at the Kenyan Coast. Biomedical medicine (from health facilities and purchased over the counter) was found to be the most popular first point of treatment. However, traditional healing still plays a salient role in the health care within these two communities. Traditional healers were consulted for various reasons: a) attribution of causation of ill-health to supernatural sources, b) chronic illness (inability of modern medicine to cure the problem) and c) as prevention against possible ill-health. In developing an explanatory model of decision-making, we observed that this was a complex process involving consultation at various levels, with elders, but also between both parents, depending on the perceived nature and chronicity of the illness. However, it was reported that fathers were the ultimate decision makers in relation to decisions concerning where the child would be taken for treatment.Health systems need to see traditional healing as a complementary system in order to ensure adequate access to health care. Importantly, fathers also need to be addressed in intervention and education programs.