Factors Influencing Coping Mechanisms in Seeking Primary Health Care Services in the Child-Headed Households in Kagera Region, Tanzania

Child-headed households (CHHs) are a relatively new household structure that has emerged due to an increased number of orphans resulting from the death of one or both parents due to pandemics, wars, and natural disasters. Despite the Primary Health Care (PHC) waiver and exemption policy in Tanzania, accessing PHC services among CHHs has been challenging. The study assessed factors influencing coping mechanisms in CHHs seeking primary health care services. It was characterised by a convergent parallel mixed method design in data collection, analysis, and interpretation, employing both quantitative and qualitative methods. Four hundred thirty CHHs from Muleba and Bukoba districts were sampled for household interviews, with 16 Focus Group Discussions and 22 Key Informants Interviewers. The study found that, despite CHHs residing closer to the PHC facilities, the majority never visited the facilities despite falling sick; among those who attended, the majority paid for the services. Additionally, the majority of CHH respondents are not aware of the existence of the exemption and waiver policy. Those who did not visit the facilities applied two primary coping mechanisms whenever they got sick. The use of personal unprescribed herbal medicines, and others reported visiting traditional healers. Lack of knowledge about the availability of PHC exemption and waiver policy for vulnerable populations, lack of money to pay, and hostility toward health workers are primary factors that limit CHHs’ access to PHC services, hence influencing the adaptation of other coping mechanisms to mitigate health problems.