Microsoft Word - AMICS-29Jan2013 - Childinfo.org

Table 6.9: Knowledge of the two danger signs of pneumonia
Percentage of mothers and caretakers of children age 0-59 months by symptoms that would cause them to take the child
immediately to a health facility, and percentage of mothers who recognize fast and difficult breathing as signs for seeking
care immediately, Afghanistan, 2010-2011
Region
Percentage of mothers/caretakers of children age 0-59 months who think that a child
should be taken immediately to a health facility if the child:
Is not able
to drink
or
breastfeed
Becomes
sicker
Develops
a fever
Has fast
breathing
Has
difficult
breathing
Has
blood
in stool
Is
drinking
poorly
Has other
symptoms
Mothers/car
etakers who
recognize
the two
danger signs
of
pneumonia
Number
of
mothers/c
aretakers
of
children
age 0-59
months
Central 17.0 19.3 73.5 23.0 43.6 22.0 11.8 34.6 8.7 1,481
Central
Highlands
13.6 17.6 75.1 24.2 41.4 12.9 13.9 44.4 8.4 356
East 43.7 56.0 68.8 44.8 35.7 26.3 21.9 13.5 18.9 1,137
North 28.1 32.3 80.0 25.2 48.3 30.8 27.5 46.2 17.2 1,342
North East 22.1 36.3 73.7 31.7 42.9 23.4 22.0 32.9 15.9 1,640
South 57.9 65.6 76.1 54.3 49.7 30.7 56.0 33.4 35.8 1,220
South East 53.7 29.1 60.0 22.3 21.4 21.5 37.4 26.2 5.7 1,444
West 27.4 32.5 71.9 26.2 43.8 29.8 15.3 26.8 9.5 1,274
Residence
Urban 22.8 28.8 75.5 27.8 45.0 22.0 16.8 34.5 12.4 1,627
Rural 36.2 38.5 71.4 32.2 39.8 26.3 28.4 30.9 15.8 8,269
Mother's education
None 35.2 37.8 72.0 32.1 40.4 26.0 27.6 30.8 15.7 8,925
Primary 23.4 29.7 71.1 23.9 45.8 22.3 14.7 40.4 10.0 489
Secondary + 22.4 26.8 73.9 25.8 40.2 20.7 16.8 34.5 10.6 475
Wealth index quintile
Poorest 39.3 42.4 72.4 34.3 43.2 27.8 31.5 25.8 18.6 2,028
Second 33.4 39.8 71.5 31.0 40.2 26.7 26.5 30.8 15.1 2,071
Middle 37.2 37.4 71.2 34.1 40.8 27.3 29.5 33.8 16.9 2,017
Fourth 35.5 33.9 71.7 31.3 38.5 24.9 27.7 32.9 15.1 1,993
Richest 23.6 30.1 73.8 26.0 40.8 20.8 16.0 34.3 9.7 1,786
Total 34.0 36.9 72.1 31.5 40.7 25.6 26.5 31.5 15.2 9,895
Issues related to knowledge of the danger signs of pneumonia are presented in Table 6.9. It
is clearly evident that mothers knowledge of the danger signs is an important determinant
of care-seeking behaviour. Overall, only 15% of women know of the two danger signs of
pneumonia fast and difficult breathing. The most commonly identified symptom for taking
a child to a health facility is when a child develops a fever (72%). Of the mothers surveyed,
32% identified fast breathing and nearly 41% of mothers identified difficult breathing as
symptoms for taking children immediately to a health care provider. Mothers/caretakers
living in the poorest households (19%) and who have no education (16%) are more likely to
seek care if their children develop the symptoms of pneumonia. Less than 10% of the
mothers in the wealthiest quintile know two danger signs of pneumonia in Afghanistan,
compared to 18% in the poorest households. Out of eight regions, mothers in the Southern
region are more likely to recognize the two danger signs of pneumonia (36%). In the Central
Highlands and Central regions, where there is a higher prevalence of suspected pneumonia
than in other regions, only 8-9% of mothers recognize the two danger signs of pneumonia.
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