Nigeria has one of the highest child mortality rates in the world, with an estimated 750,000 deaths annually among children under age five. The majority of these deaths are due to pneumonia, malaria, or diarrhea. Many parents do not seek sick-child care from trained, biomedical providers, contributing to this high rate of mortality.
This qualitative study explores factors enabling or preventing parents from seeking care for sick under-five children in Nigeria’s Kogi and Ebonyi states, including gender-related roles and social norms. Interviews were conducted with parents of sick under-five children and service providers, and focus group discussions were held with community leaders to assess how care-seeking behavior was influenced by four modes from the Colvin et al. conceptual framework for household decision-making and pathways to care.
This article was developed under the Maternal and Child Survival Program and published in 2020.
Authors: Leanne Dougherty, Kate Gilroy, Abimbola Olayemi, Omitayo Ogesanmola, Felix Ogaga, Chinwe Nweze, Joya Banerjee, Chioma Oduenyi, and Michel Pacqué
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