ANALYSIS OF THE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION AND UTILIZATION OF HEALTH CARE FACILITIES IN BWARI AREA COUNCIL, ABUJA, NIGERIA
ANALYSIS OF THE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION AND UTILIZATION OF HEALTH CARE FACILITIES IN BWARI AREA COUNCIL, ABUJA, NIGERIA
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Date
2015-12
Authors
TAWOSE, Titilope Eunice
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Abstract
This study analyzed the spatial distribution of public healthcare facilities and their utilization in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nigeria. Ballot method of random sampling technique was used to choose four wards out of the existing ten wards in the study area; Usuma, Bwari, Kawu and Igu wards. A total of 400 copies of questionnaire were administered to respondents but a total of 384 copies were retrieved and a total of 16 copies of questionnaire were also administered on the healthcare facilities available within the study area in order to get information about them. The geo-location of the healthcare facilities were collected using a hand-held Garmin CSX 76 Global Positioning System, analysis of data was done in the four selected ward. A spatial database of the Public Health Care Facilities using ArcGIS 9.2 software was created using the attribute data derived from the retrieved health care facility questionnaire, these were compiled in Microsoft excel and linked with the spatial data in ArcGIS Spatial Analyst for the GIS analysis of the spatial distribution and pattern of the facilities in the study area. From the analyses, it was revealed that there existed inadequacies in the availablities of health facilities and personnels within the wards. Two hypothesis were tested using the Spearman Correlation statistical technique to determine the correlation between choice of HCF patronized by respondents and distance and also between choice of HCF and income earned. It was revealed that there is a significant relationship between the choice of HCF and distance in Bwari but otherwise in Usuma and Kawu. A strong positive relationship was also established between income and choice of HCF in Kawu and otherwise in Usuma and Kawu. Igu had a parallel relationship between choice and the two variables. The research showed that there are only two categories of health care facilities which were primary and secondary in the study area. Only two are secondary facilities, these were General hospital in Kubwa and Bwari. It was revealed that only 47.3% of the respondents patronized Public Healthcare Facilities while the remaining 52.7% do not. There exists inadequacy in facilities distribution and health personnel in the study area, it was observed that the available healthcare facilities were not well utilized due to distance, inadequacy of health personnels, equipments, level of income, level of education amongst others. It is therefore recommended that more healthcare are built in the study area and more personnel be employed to work in the HCFs.
Description
A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF A MASTER DEGREE OF SCIENCE IN GIS/REMOTE SENSING
Keywords
ANALYSIS,, SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION,, UTILIZATION,, HEALTH CARE FACILITIES,, BWARI AREA COUNCIL,, ABUJA,, NIGERIA