Gender differences in health care-seeking behavior for sexually transmitted diseases: a population-based study in Nairobi, Kenya
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Date
2004Author
Voeten, HA
O'hara, HB
Kusimba, J
Otido, JM
Ndinya-Achola Jeckoniah O.
Bwayo, JJ
Varkevisser, CM
Habbema, JD
Type
ArticleLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
BACKGROUND:
Health care-seeking behavior for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is important in STD/HIV control.
GOAL:
The goal of this study was to describe the proportion seeking care, patient delay, and choice of provider among men and women with STD-related complaints in Nairobi, Kenya.
STUDY DESIGN:
A population-based questionnaire was administered in 7 randomly selected clusters (small geographic areas covering approximately 150 households each).
RESULTS:
Of the 291 respondents reporting complaints, 20% of men versus 35% of women did not seek care, mainly because symptoms were not considered severe, symptoms had disappeared, or as a result of lack of money. Of those who sought care, women waited longer than men (41 vs. 16 days). Most men and women went to the private sector (72% and 57%, respectively), whereas the informal sector was rarely visited (13% and 16%, respectively). Relatively more women visited the government sector (28% vs. 15%). Because women were mostly monogamous, they did not relate their complaints to sexual intercourse, which hampered prompt care-seeking.
CONCLUSION:
Women should be convinced to seek care promptly, eg, through health education in communities.
URI
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15107627http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/16664
Citation
Sex Transm Dis.2004 May;31(5):265-72Publisher
Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Nairobi
Collections
- Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) [10387]