Sheth, MargiDamor, RamanVala, AsthaShringarpure, KalpitaPatel, Nirav2025-10-122025-10-122025https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14572/2590Margi Sheth Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, GMERS Medical College, Rajpipla, Gujarat-393145, India Raman Damor Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Medical College Baroda, Vadoadara, Gujarat – 390001, India Astha Vala Consultant, Health Informatics, State Health Resource Centre – Gujarat, India Kalpita Shringarpure Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Medical College Baroda, Vadoadara, Gujarat – 390001, India Nirav Patel Medical Superintendent and Consultant Shree C. A. Patel Hospital and Community Health Centre, Mota Fofadiya, VadodaraAbstract: Introduction: Mothers play a crucial role in identifying health changes in their children, influencing health-seeking behaviours in acute illness and treatment seeking behaviour during growth faltering. Insights of the health-seeking behaviour in local context gives the better result in improving the nutritional status at hospital as well as community level. Therefore, this study was conducted to compare health-seeking behaviors among mothers of well-nourished and malnourished children and to explore treatment-seeking pathways for malnourished children. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among mothers of children aged 6 to 60 months attending anganwadis in Vadodara Rural Taluka. A total of 120 well-nourished and 126 malnourished children (63 with Severe Acute Malnutrition [SAM] and 63 with Moderate Acute Malnutrition [MAM]) were included using a thirty-cluster sampling technique. Mothers were interviewed regarding health-seeking behaviours over the past six months, and pathways to Nutritional Rehabilitation Centre (NRC)/Community Malnutrition Treatment Centre for SAM treatment were assessed. Results: Among well-nourished children, 36% experienced illness, with a median duration of six days; 96% consulted healthcare workers with a median delay of three days. For malnourished children, 53% reported illness, and only 53% sought care, facing a median delay of seven days. Of the 63 SAM children referred to NRC/CMTC, only 22% visited. Major barriers to attendance included the lack of someone to care for other children and no accompanying adult for hospital visits. Conclusions: Mother of well-nourished children demonstrated prompt health-seeking behaviours, while malnourished children faced significant delays and barriers. Nearly half of the referred SAM children to NRC/CMTC did not visit the place, major reason was longer duration of hospital stay.en-USUnder-fiveTreatment-seeking behaviourHealth-seeking behvaiourMalnutritionSevere Acute MalnutritionArticle