[Utilization of health services by mothers of children with fever in the south of Benin].

In spite of preventives activities, malaria remained the most murderess tropical disease at less 5 years old child in Benin. However, few mothers in rural middle used modern cares services when their child are feverish. This paper aims to selected risk factors associated to the under-utilization of care services in child fever situation in Benin. We conducted a cross sectional study including 360 mothers recruited randomly in villages. From 76% of feverish child counted two last weeks preceding the survey, 6% of them used, in first intention, health centers. Relatives of the others child preferred self-medication (leaves infusion or drogues bought without medical prescription) despite their perception of child malaria fever severity. Multivariate analysis selected: expensively cares (OR = 1.47 IC = 0.95-2.25), mothers's perception (OR = 1.22 IC = 0.72-2.07), husband decision (OR = 1.59 IC = 1.36-1.91), inappropriateness of work schedules of the health services (OR = 3.19 IC = 1.41-7.02) and traditional relatives practices (OR = 1.31 IC = 1.00-1.68). After discussion of methodological limits, authors suggested reinforcement of the awareness of relatives on advantages of precocious modern cares, appropriate work schedules for rural population and promotion of the insecticide-impregnated bed nets for child.