Socioeconomic correlates and the choice of treatment for childhood fever in Ghana

Abstract

The study investigated the effect of household socioeconomic factors on the choice of treatment for childhood fever among children under age five in Ghana. Data from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health survey was used employing the multinomial probit model. Three treatment choices were considered: Government facility, Private facility and traditional/self-medication. The results suggest that the treatment of childhood fever is related to household wealth, health insurance status and residence. Government health facilities are mostly used by household's with higher wealth and household's with health insurance. Rural households are more likely to use traditional/self-medication, except those with health insurance who use government facilities. The age of the mother and birth order of the child were also found to influence the choice of treatment facility for childhood fever.