KNOWLEDGE OF SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS INFLUENCING HEALTH SERVICE USAGE AMONG PREGNANT MOTHERS IN NIGERIA

 

Dominic Azuh¹*, Akunna Azuh², Fagbminiyi Fasina³, Paul Adekola⁴, Emmanuel Amoo⁵, Muyiwa Oladosun⁶

¹Dr., Covenant University Ota, The Nigeria, dominic.azuh@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

²Mrs., Covenant University Ota, The Nigeria, akunna.azuh@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

³D.r, Covenant University Ota, The Nigeria, fagbminiyi.fasinai@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

⁴Mr., Covenant University Ota, The Nigeria, paul.adekola@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

⁵Dr., Covenant University Ota, The Nigeria, emmanuel.amoo@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

⁶Dr., Covenant University Ota, The Nigeria, muyiwa.oladosun@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

*corresponding author

 

                                                         

Abstract

Poor knowledge of socio-demographic factors limit access and utilization of health care services among pregnant women. The objectives of this paper are to examine the factors which influence health care usage and to suggest policy guidelines to boost the use of healthcare particularly among antenatal women. The study covers five (5) rural political wards of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area in Ogun State, Nigeria. A stratified sampling technique was adopted in selecting the respondents who were ever married women in child bearing age (15-49) years who had at least one live-birth in the last three years preceding the survey.  On the whole, 260 female respondents were randomly selected from five wards out of the sixteen wards. Data were gathered through questionnaire instrument and focus group discussion and analyzed statistically using statistical package for social sciences and content analysis. Regression analysis showed that treatment decision and distance to health facility are negatively related to health program usage by pregnant mothers. Educational attainments, payment of treatment bills, respondent’s age and husband’s perception about pregnancy are positively associated to antennal care (ANC) use. Also, since the F- statistics calculated is greater than the F- tabulated thereby validating the hypothesis that the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents are significantly related to the health program usage by pregnant mothers. The above findings show that education, husband’s perception about pregnancy, treatment decision and payment of treatment cost weigh more on the use of modern health care services. Hence, Costs alleviation for women seeking antenatal care and delivery services should be put in place to encourage women to use health services and government should give priority to women education and empowerment. In addition, effort should be made to revitalize rural health facilities and establish mid-way service delivery points to reduce the problem of distance.

Keywords: Knowledge, maternal mortality, usage, socio-demographic factors, antenatal care