Impediment To Adequate Utilization of Primary Health Care Facilities Among Pregnant Women in Ikpoba-Okha LGA of Edo State

Enoma Omorogieva Igudia ,Julia Adesua Agbonifoh ,Vero Chinye Omoruyi

doi:10.7176/jep/10-17-13

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate impediments to adequate utilization of Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities by pregnant women in Ikpoba-Okha LGA of Edo State. The descriptive survey design was adopted for the study and a multistage sampling technique was used to select the study sample of 250 respondents. The instruments for data collection were checklist and questionnaire designed by the researchers and built around the research questions. The reliability of the questionnaire was established through test re-test method and a correlation co-efficient of 0.84 was obtained. The researchers led a team of two trained research assistants to administer the instrument to the women during antenatal care services in their PHC Centres. The instrument was then retrieved immediately after completion. Data were analysed using frequency counts and simple percentages. The results of the study showed that: socio-cultural issues, attitudes of health staff, infrastructural decay, accessibility and traditional beliefs affect adequate utilization of PHC facilities by pregnant women in Ikpoba-Okha. Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that health education be intensified in creating public awareness on the importance of using PHC facilities among pregnant women and that harmful traditions should be discarded. Keywords: Impediment, Adequate Utilization, PHC, Pregnant Women DOI : 10.7176/JEP/10-17-13 Publication date :June 30 th 2019

Highlights

The term Primary Health Care (PHC) is a strategy adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO, 1978) in Russia at the Alma Ata conference for achieving a level of health for the people of the world as the cost of secondary and tertiary care rose beyond the reach of the public
Since the average score to research question 1 is more than 50%, it means that cultural belief constitutes an impediment to adequate utilization of PHC facilities among pregnant women in Ikpoba-Okha LGA of Edo State
Discussion of Results This discussion of results is done according to the research questions as follow: Research question 1 revealed that cultural beliefs constitute an impediment to adequate PHC utilization; the percentage score of the respondents show more than 50% of responses attesting to the fact that cultural beliefs affect utilization

Summary

INTRODUCTION

The term Primary Health Care (PHC) is a strategy adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO, 1978) in Russia at the Alma Ata conference for achieving a level of health for the people of the world as the cost of secondary and tertiary care rose beyond the reach of the public. Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that impede adequate utilization of primary health care facilities by pregnant women in Ikpoba -Okha Local Government Area of Edo state. Population of the Study The population of study consists of all pregnant mothers numbering two thousand four hundred and ninety seven (2497), who access and utilize primary health care facilities for maternal health care in rural communities of Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State as at the time of research. Since the average score to research question 1 is more than 50%, it means that cultural belief constitutes an impediment to adequate utilization of PHC facilities among pregnant women in Ikpoba-Okha LGA of Edo State. Of the women reported that cost of PHC services is an impending factor to their adequate utilization of PHC services

13. Is PHC centre far from your residence?

19. Do you think some of the care givers are wicked?

24. Are vaccines for pregnant women and infants always available?

Findings

27. Are the health staff motivated?