The determinants of health care seeking behaviour of adolescents attending STD clinics in South Africa

The study investigated the determinants of delay behaviour in health care seeking in a sample of 292 adolescent patients (20 years and younger) with STD symptoms. Fifty six percent (56%) of the adolescents sought health care within the first 6 days of noticing symptoms, 23% waited between 7 to 10 days and 21% waited longer than 10 days before seeking health care. Early health care seeking was determined by perceived seriousness of STDs, an absence of self treatment prior to seeking care and positive attitudes regarding personal autonomy in condom use behaviour. Facilitation of early health care seeking remain critical in curbing the threat of AIDS among the South African youth.