TY - JOUR
T1 - “When I suffer from fever, I eat mangos.” Determinants of health-seeking beliefs and behaviors of rural older women in Sylhet, Bangladesh
AU - Hamiduzzaman, Mohammad
AU - De Bellis, Anita
AU - Abigail, Wendy
AU - Harrington, Ann
AU - Fletcher , Amber
N1 - Includes bibliographical references
PY - 2021/11/2
Y1 - 2021/11/2
N2 - Poverty, poor living conditions, religious values and norms, lack of education, and gender discrimination influence the beliefs and behaviors of rural older women in many low-income countries. This paper aims to report the socio-ecological determinants of health-seeking beliefs and behaviors of rural older women in North-eastern Bangladesh and how these behaviors impact their recognition within the setting. It involved semi-structured interviews with 25 older women and 11 healthcare professionals. The findings revealed various determinants at the personal level (awareness of illness, mistrust toward medical treatment, self-treatment, and religious values and norms), the interpersonal level (isolation in family and communication with clinicians), community level (community perception of aging, neighboring and community organizations), and in the sphere of human rights (care affordability, social safety-net coverage and national policy). Four core determinants (poverty, education, gender and religiosity) were intertwined in shaping beliefs and behaviors.
AB - Poverty, poor living conditions, religious values and norms, lack of education, and gender discrimination influence the beliefs and behaviors of rural older women in many low-income countries. This paper aims to report the socio-ecological determinants of health-seeking beliefs and behaviors of rural older women in North-eastern Bangladesh and how these behaviors impact their recognition within the setting. It involved semi-structured interviews with 25 older women and 11 healthcare professionals. The findings revealed various determinants at the personal level (awareness of illness, mistrust toward medical treatment, self-treatment, and religious values and norms), the interpersonal level (isolation in family and communication with clinicians), community level (community perception of aging, neighboring and community organizations), and in the sphere of human rights (care affordability, social safety-net coverage and national policy). Four core determinants (poverty, education, gender and religiosity) were intertwined in shaping beliefs and behaviors.
KW - Health beliefs
KW - Bangladesh
KW - Rural older women
KW - Healthcare access
KW - Socio-ecological exploration
U2 - 10.1080/08952841.2021.1996195
DO - 10.1080/08952841.2021.1996195
M3 - Article
C2 - 34724877
SN - 0895-2841
SP - 1
EP - 18
JO - Journal of Women and Aging: the multidiciplinary quarterly of psychosocial practice, theory and research
JF - Journal of Women and Aging: the multidiciplinary quarterly of psychosocial practice, theory and research
ER -