Determinants of the Final Decision to Take Children under 5 Years Old for Medical Treatment in Indonesia

Introduction: The impact of final decision has a long-term impact and involves the potential risk if the decision is taken too late for the children to get medical treatment. This study aims to analyze the determinants of the final decision to take children under 5 years old for medical treatment in Indonesia. Methods: The cross-sectional study design was applied from the Demographic and Health Survey 2017. The two-stage stratified cluster sampling technique was used and obtained 16,433 respondents. The DHS Questionnaire Phase 7 was used. Chi-square and Multinomial Logistic Regression were used to analyze the data. Results: From the study it was evident that the father was the dominant decision-maker. The working fathers were more likely to make the final decision compared to the mother or both parents together. Health insurance made it less likely for the decision to be taken by the father and living in a rural residence had less impact on the decision being taken by the mother. For the respondents living with a partner, the final decision was more likely to be taken by the mother. Conclusion: It is important for the head of the family to take the decisions considering the view of the mother regarding the medical treatment of the children taking consent from both the parents. The results of this study are expected to provide information to the parents and help them to make the proper decisions related to the medical treatment of children.