DETERMINANTS OF WOMEN’S ACCESS TO AND UTILIZATION OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN KADUNA METROPOLIS, NIGERIA
DETERMINANTS OF WOMEN’S ACCESS TO AND UTILIZATION OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN KADUNA METROPOLIS, NIGERIA
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Date
2012-11
Authors
ERIC, ITOE MARK
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Abstract
The spatial distribution of health infrastructure is uneven; some are located close while
some are very far from resident population. Purpose of this study is to examine the factors
that affect women’s access and utilization of health care services in Kaduna metropolis.
Study design was a cross sectional descriptive study, using multi-stage random sampling.
Data used for the survey was obtained from structured interview questionnaire. This
comprised of women within the reproductive age group of (15-49years).Questionnaire was
designed to explore the respondents’ knowledge about barriers to accessibility and
utilization of health care services. Aim of the study is to examine the factors that determine
women’s access and utilization of health care services in Kaduna Metropolis. Chi-square
method of analysis was used and results revealed that, individual characteristics such as
occupation, income, marital status and education were all significantly associated with
accessibility to healthcare facilities with a p-value < 0.05. Statistical level of significant
shows a good fit of 143.37, DF= 4 for education and 96.33 and DF=7 occupational status
at 0.05 level of significance. It also revealed a weak relationship between income
levels/marital status and utilization. Chi-square results also confirmed that majority of
women are denied access by their husbands. Other factors that also contributed include
poverty, high number of dependents, long waiting in the hospitals and cost of drugs among
others. It is recommended that government and non government organisations should
educate the women, their husbands, relations and the community on the need of accessing
and utilizing health care services. In addition, proactive government policies will be
necessary to ensure that health facilities are located close to where women live, have an
adequate number of trained staff, a continued supply of drugs and linked to hospitals by an
emergency transport and referral system. This policy would be passed as a bill by the
legislative arm of government to empower the Ministry of Health to sustain this.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTERS DEGREE IN
GEOGRAPHY.
DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY,
FACULTY OF SCIENCE
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA.
NOVEMBER, 2012
Keywords
DETERMINANTS OF WOMEN’S ACCESS,, HEALTH CARE SERVICES,, KADUNA METROPOLIS, NIGERIA.