Health seeking behavior of stroke patients: Experience from a tertiary care centre of Bangladesh

Abstract

Objective: This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted to find out the health seeking behavior of stroke patients and their associates as well as to identify the barriers of service intervention.

Methodology: The study was done at Occupational Therapy Department of Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed (CRP), Dhaka, Bangladesh. A purposive sampling technique and pre-tested structured questionnaire were used for data collection. Face-to-face interviews were taken from 133 respondents obtaining informed consent.

Results: Majority (74.4%) of the patients took treatment from medical graduates and rest from village doctors (10.5 %) and traditional healers (15.0%). 51.1% patients knew about stroke from hospital whereas 14.3% from Kobiraj/Homeopath and 14.3% from their own experiences. Majority (85.7 %) patients knew about the importance of initial treatment and 50.4% respondents had knowledge of better treatment facilities whereas 49.6% didn’t. Participants view to seek treatment after stroke was significantly high (p < 0.001) despite barriers. The barriers were lack of money (52.6%), difficulties in transportation (31.6%) and lack of interest and family support (15.8%).

Conclusion: The result might be useful for policy makers to take further initiatives for better management of stroke patients and to improve the quality of their life.