Health-seeking behaviour of stroke patients in a rural area of Bangladesh

Background: Improper health-seeking behaviours (HSB) have been correlated with detrimental health outcomes, elevated rates of illness and mortality. The study aimed to investigate how stroke patients in a rural community of Bangladesh seek health care. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Raiganj sub-district of Sirajganj district from January to June 2016, using a validated screening tool to identify stroke patients at the household level. Neurologists confirmed the diagnosis after examining all suspected cases. Out of the 419 suspected cases identified during the screening process, 186 cases were officially reported after undergoing a confirmed diagnosis. Information on health-seeking behaviour was collected through face-to-face interviews with patients or their attendants. Results: After experiencing a stroke, approximately 35% of patients received treatment from unregistered care providers and over 40% received treatment outside of a hospital setting. Males were significantly more likely than females to receive treatment from registered physicians or hospitals (P<.05 and P<.01). A significantly higher proportion of educated individuals sought healthcare from registered physicians or hospitals (P<.05). Although better health-seeking behaviour was observed among higher-income groups, the findings were not statistically significant. Around 67% of patients were found to be hypertensive, with about one-third of them not taking any medication for their elevated blood pressure. Approximately 37% of patients had elevated blood glucose levels but only 22% were taking medication. Conclusion: A notable proportion of stroke patients in rural Bangladesh sought treatment from unqualified service providers. Health-seeking behaviour was associated with factors such as gender, education, and economic condition. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Journal 2023;16(2): 75-8

Prevalence of Eye Problems among Young Infants of Rohingya Refugee Camps: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Survey

Early detection of pediatric eye problems can prevent future vision loss. This study was to estimate the prevalence of common eye problems among infants born in a resource-constrained emergency setting with a broader aim to prevent future vision loss or blindness among them through early detection and referral. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 670 infants (0&ndash;59 days old) born in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh between March and June of 2019. The most common eye problem found was watering from the eye and accumulation of discharge by which 14.8% of the children were suffering (95% CI: 12.2&ndash;17.7). More than 5% of the infants had visual inattention (95% CI: 3.5&ndash;7.0), and 4% had redness in their eyes (95% CI: 2.7&ndash;5.8). Only 1.9% of infants (95% CI: 1&ndash;3.3) had whitish or brown eyeballs, and 1.8% of children might have whitish pupillary reflex (95% CI: 0.9&ndash;3.1). None of the eye problems was associated with the gender of the infants. The prevalent eye problems demand eye care set up for the screening of eye problems in the camps with proper referral and availability of referral centres with higher service in the districts