Facteurs influençant le refus de consulter au centre de santé dans la région rurale Ouest du Burkina Faso

Introduction: The aim of this paper is to present the factors influencing treatment refusal, apart from the financial obstacles frequently reported in various studies. Methods: This study was based on an ethnographic investigation. Te chnical semi-structured interviews, direct observation and free interviews (in-depth and focused on life stories) were conducted during this investigation. Results: The choice of ten people to avoid attending the health center was investigated. Although they had sufficient economic resources to pursue biomedical care when they were sick, some people prefer to remain independent or autonomous, leading then to initially choose self-medication. Discussion: The factors predisposing to a desire for independence or autonomy were analysed in four areas: the weight of secular knowledge; the attempt to treat oneself; the influence of occupations, and lack of confidence in the healthcare worker. Conclusion: These factors affect the use of health centres. In a context of high mortality, these factors must be taken into account to improve the attractiveness of formal health care.