Utilization and accessibility of healthcare on Pemba Island, Tanzania: Implications for health outcomes and disease burden surveillance for typhoid fever

Linda M. Kaljee, Alfred Pach, Kamala Ley-Thriemer, Benedikt Ley, Said Mohammed Ali, Mohamed Saleh Jiddawi, Mahesh K Puri, Lorenz Von Seidlein, Jacqueline Deen, Leon Ochiai, Thomas F. Wierzba, John D Clemens

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi (S. Typhi) was estimated to cause over 200,000 deaths and more than 21 million illnesses worldwide, including over 400,000 illnesses in Africa. The current study was conducted in four villages on Pemba Island, Zanzibar, in 2010. We present data on policy makers', health administrators', and village residents' and leaders' perceptions of typhoid fever, and hypothetical and actual health care use among village residents for typhoid fever. Qualitative data provided descriptions of home-based treatment practices and use of western pharmaceuticals, and actual healthcare use for culture-confirmed typhoid fever. Survey data indicate health facility use was associated with gender, education, residency, and perceptions of severity for symptoms associated with typhoid fever. Data have implications for education of policy makers and health administrators, design and implementation of surveillance studies, and community-based interventions to prevent disease outbreaks, decrease risks of complications, and provide information about disease recognition, diagnosis, and treatment.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)144-152
Number of pages9
JournalAmerican Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Volume88
Issue number1
Early online date2012
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2013

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