Management Of Childhood Acute Respiratory Infections Among The People Of Larteh

Abstract

This study examines how childhood ARI is managed among the people of Larteh. The study examined mother’s perception on the causes, treatment-seeking behaviour, preventive strategies and the choice of health care outlet for childhood ARI. To determine the role the Government of Ghana is playing to promote the well being of children, the national programme for children in Ghana were examined. It included sub-themes that deal with child survival, protection and development. The input the state makes to promote the well being of children, affect that health-seeking behaviour mothers adopt for their morbid children. This expository study offers an opportunity to understand from a wider perspective the various health-seeking behaviour mothers adopt when their children are morbid. The social structure of Larteh was also described in order to understand the people’s ethnomedical perceptions, knowledge, attitudes and practices in the management of childhood ARI. Larteh is one of the major towns in the Akwapim North District. It is located 32km from Accra and it is situated on a range of mountains called the Akwapim-Togo range. Early missionary works in the area of Christianity, formal education and agriculture have hastened the process of change in the study area. In order to obtain detailed information, interviews, focus group discussions and observation were used as the main instruments to collect primary data for the study. The study has shown that cold air entering the chest and head of children as well as living in an unhygienic environment are among the main causes of childhood ARI. It was also found that there are multiple treatment paths mothers adopt for the treatment of childhood ARI. These are based on such factors as perceived cause, nature of ailment, efficacy of treatment and affordability of service. However, due to inadequate knowledge on the danger signs and symptoms of ARI most mothers delay in seeking for health care at the clinic. It is being suggested that ethnomedical perceptions on the management of childhood ARI should be considered in designing strategies for the control of ARI. When this is done, it will help understand folk nosologies, which are important in the planning for preventive strategies of ARI.