Your browser doesn't support javascript.
loading
Health-seeking behaviour and beliefs around sore throat in The Gambia: A qualitative study.
Suau Sans, Maria; Manneh, Muhammed; Ceesay, Isatou; Bittaye, Amat; de Crombrugghe, Gabrielle; Keeley, Alexander J; de Silva, Thushan I; Palmer, Jennifer; Armitage, Edwin P; Marks, Michael.
Afiliación
  • Suau Sans M; Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
  • Manneh M; The Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia.
  • Ceesay I; Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
  • Bittaye A; The Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia.
  • de Crombrugghe G; The Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia.
  • Keeley AJ; The Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia.
  • de Silva TI; Molecular Bacteriology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Free University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium.
  • Palmer J; The Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia.
  • Armitage EP; Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
  • Marks M; Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.
PLOS Glob Public Health ; 4(3): e0002257, 2024.
Article en En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38527043
ABSTRACT
Group A Streptococcus (Strep A) bacteria causes a broad spectrum of diseases. The most common manifestations of Strep A infection are sore throat and pus-producing skin infections such as impetigo. Complications of Strep A infection can lead to inflammation in the bones, muscles, joints, and internal organs causing acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease (RHD). In The Gambia, the RHD burden is thought to be very high. However, epidemiological data is minimal, and Strep A control programmes do not exist. This study aimed to explore common beliefs and practices related to sore throats among primary caregivers of children, and healthcare providers in a community with a high Strep A disease burden. Four informal conversations with providers and fifteen semi-structured interviews with caregivers were conducted in the peri-urban area of Sukuta, The Gambia. Sampling was purposive and gradual, beginning from households identified to have recently experienced sore throat through a parallel cohort study. Themes explored in qualitative analysis included sore throat causal attributions and diagnoses, care practises, health-seeking behaviour, and perceived barriers to using the biomedical sector. We found that sore throats were typically perceived to affect one child in a family, disproportionately or exclusively. Sore throats were rarely perceived as life-threatening, and awareness of links between sore throat and ARF or RHD was not reported among caregivers or providers in this study population. Most cases of sore throat were initially managed at home using traditional medicine which delayed resort to antibiotics, though in two instances of severe pain with the presence of exudate, fear that the child's life was at risk prompted care-seeking through the formal health system. Our findings can inform the development of tailored strategies to increase community knowledge of the potential long-term consequences of sore throats and appropriate care-seeking, alongside improvements in the health system, to prevent Strep A sequelae effectively.

Texto completo: 1 Colección: 01-internacional Base de datos: MEDLINE Idioma: En Revista: PLOS Glob Public Health Año: 2024 Tipo del documento: Article País de afiliación: Reino Unido Pais de publicación: Estados Unidos

Texto completo: 1 Colección: 01-internacional Base de datos: MEDLINE Idioma: En Revista: PLOS Glob Public Health Año: 2024 Tipo del documento: Article País de afiliación: Reino Unido Pais de publicación: Estados Unidos