Health-seeking behaviour among parents in Kota Bharu Kelantan: a model from lumbar puncture study
| dc.contributor.author | Mahmood, Maznisah | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2017-08-24T08:14:19Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2017-08-24T08:14:19Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2002 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Health-seeking behaviour is influenced by many factors. A peculiar healthseeking behaviour seen in this part of the world is high refusal rate towards lumbar puncture. Lumbar puncture is used for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures i.e. meningitis and leukaemia. However, many parents in Malaysia are aversed to lumbar puncture, as they believed it can cause harmful effects. These misconceptions and myths lead to great proportion of parents to refuse lumbar puncture in Malaysia (Deng et al, 1994 and Ling SG, 2000). Hence there is a need to look at this issue for further intervention. We believe it is important to have the appropriate evidence to deal with this issue. Household behaviour regarding perception on the disease and methods of treatment were looked at in this study. Our main objective was to look at the health-seeking behaviour and in particular the basis of refusal for lumbar puncture in this population. In addition, the misconception and main source of information were also described. This is a cross-sectional descriptive study, conducted by telephone interviews by the main author. The telephone numbers were obtained from the Telecom Department and were subsequently randomized. A total of 390 respondents were recruited into the study. The duration of study was from January 2001 to July 2001. Relevant data including level of education, income, basic knowledge regarding lumbar puncture and meningitis, perceptions, source of information and history of exposure to lumbar puncture in the immediate family members were obtained. The refusal rate of lumbar puncture among the Malay ethnic group is high. This study showed a refusal rate of 42.9o/o. Reasons for refusal were mistaken belief that lumbar puncture is a dangerous procedure. This was reported by 80.8°/oof the respondents. Fears of paralysis and fear that the child might die from the procedure were the most often quoted perceptions. A higher score of knowledge on LP is significantly associated with a chance of consent (OR-2.85), while the presence of extended family members is significantly associated with less likely chance of consent for the procedure (OR-0.44). Higher scores of knowledge were significantly found in the higher income, higher level of education and in the group who has a history of lumbar puncture in the family. The proportion of refusal for lumbar puncture in the population of Kota Bharu is high (42.9°/o). Despite a number of hospital-based studies there is no communitybased study done in other places for comparison. Population in Kota Bharu, Kelantan had a very poor perception about lumbar puncture. Majority of them obtained their information from friends and relatives. We recommend to the Ministry of Health that a continuous education with a wider coverage is important in changing the perception of the society on lumbar puncture which is then translated into their inappropriate health -seeking behaviour .The ministry should target all levels of society when they disperse the knowledge regarding lumbar puncture. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/4422 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.publisher | Universiti Sains Malaysia | en_US |
| dc.subject | Health-seeking behaviour | en_US |
| dc.title | Health-seeking behaviour among parents in Kota Bharu Kelantan: a model from lumbar puncture study | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |
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