Acute respiratory infections in rural Bangladesh: cultural understandings,
practices and the role of mothers and community health volunteers.
Rashid SF, Hadi A, Afsana K, Begum SA.
Research and Evaluation Division, Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee, Dhaka,
Bangladesh. sabina.rashid@anu.edu.au
Qualitative data collected from 63 older and younger mothers revealed that
almost all recognized pneumonia and all described mild and severe signs and
symptoms to explain incidences of pneumonia. Respiratory illnesses were
attributed to humoral imbalances, supernatural causes and "negligent" mothers.
Home care practices involved drinking specially prepared juices, massaging the
child with oil and avoiding "cooling" foods. Traditional and allopathic care was
sought depending on the perceived severity of the illness. The role of the
family was important in decision-making. Rural mothers were relieved and
satisfied to be able to quickly access low-cost medicines from Bangladesh Rural
Advancement Committee (BRAC) health volunteers, who clearly influence health
care practices. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions with 23 health
volunteers showed that 22 were able to correctly identify breathing rates and
their association with pneumonia. All had knowledge of acute respiratory
infections (ARI) and were able to list a range of signs and symptoms. Some
health volunteers complained of operational constraints with monitoring and
technical equipment. Nevertheless, the programme has strong links with
grassroots volunteers and community people, making it a successful intervention.
PMID: 11348514