Help seeking behavior & Fungal skin infection

In 2006,about 50% of children who were brought in by their parents for any reason for encounter at the Francistown City Council clinics in Botswana,had fungal skin infections.Most of these parents did not include the fungal skin conditions in the list of the presenting complaintsTo explore the perceptions of the parents about the fungal skin conditions of their children. Eight participants were purposefully selected among the Francistown City Council clinics. They were interviewed, using the same exploratory question: How much do you know about this skin condition? The interviews were held in the Setswana language, and audiotaped. The recordings were transcribed verbatim and translated into English. The ideas that emerged were developed into themes through the “cut-and-paste” method. Results: The following themes emerged: • The skin condition was not well understood • It was perceived to have multiple causes • It was known to be infectious • Many home remedies were used to attempt cure • It was not serious to warrant consultation • It tended to recur Conclusion: Parents who brought their children to the Francistown City Council clinics in Botswana with fungal skin infections (inc