Table 3.

Themes and categories of fathers’ experiences and perspectives identified from in-depth interviews with fathers whose children had pneumonia-like episodes in Biliran Island, the Philippines

Themes	Categories
Fathers’ way of taking care of their sick children	Herbal medicines are easy to prepare at home.
	Some fathers keep a stock of medicines at home.
	Some fathers do not have enough knowledge about medication.
Fathers’ preference of health facilities	Fathers takes their child to a traditional healer because of their therapeutic efficacy.
	Fathers generally do not prefer BHS.
	Fathers take their child to RHU for a medical consultation.
	Fathers expect to receive medicines for their sick child from RHU.
	Fathers prefer to be seen by a staff member with medical expertise.
	Fathers rely on health staff advice to refer their child to a hospital.

BHS, brangay health stations; RHU, rural health unit.