Social and financial barriers may contribute to a 'hidden mortality' in Uganda for children with congenital anomalies
| Autor: | Sarah Jane Commander, Comfart Ruhigwa, Martin Situma, Hannah Williamson, Felix Oyania, Danielle Ellis, Tamara N. Fitzgerald |
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| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
Adult
Male Health Knowledge Attitudes Practice Social Stigma Congenital Abnormalities Young Adult Cost of Illness Health facility Surveys and Questionnaires Humans Medicine Uganda Child Poverty Lower income Disease burden Finance business.industry Incidence Surgical care Incidence (epidemiology) Patient Acceptance of Health Care Child Mortality Female Surgery business |
| Zdroj: | Surgery. 169:311-317 |
| ISSN: | 0039-6060 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.surg.2020.09.018 |
| Popis: | The true incidence of congenital anomalies in sub-Saharan Africa is unknown. Owing to complex challenges associated with congenital anomalies, many affected babies may never present to a health facility, resulting in an underestimation of disease burden.Interviews were conducted with Ugandans between September 2018 and May 2019. Responses from community members versus families of children with congenital anomalies were compared.A total of 198 Ugandans were interviewed (91 family members, 80 community members). All participants (N = 198) believed that seeking surgical care would lead to poverty, 43% (n = 84) assumed fathers would abandon the child, and 26% (n = 45) thought a child with a congenital anomaly in their community had been left to die. Causes of anomalies were believed to be contraceptive methods (48%, n = 95), witchcraft (17%, n = 34), or drugs (10%, n = 19). Of family members, 25 (28%) were advised to allow the child to die. Families with affected children were more likely to have a lower income (P.001), believe anomalies could be treated (P = .007), but thought that allowing the child to die was best for the family (32% vs 9%; P.0001). Monthly household income50,000 Uganda shillings ($13 United States dollars) was a significant predictor of the father leaving the family (P = .024), being advised to not pursue medical care (P = .046), and believing that God should decide the child's fate (P = .047).Families face significant financial and social pressures when deciding to seek surgical care for a child with a congenital anomaly. Many children with anomalies may die and never reach a health facility to be counted, thus contributing to a hidden mortality. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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