Abstract
The study investigates the extent to which socio-economic and cultural characteristics of the communities constitute barriers to the primary health care services delivery in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Nigeria. Descriptive cross-sectional field survey was utilized. Primary data were utilized and exploratory analysis was used. ANOVA and t-Test were used as tools of analysis to bring out statistical differences in the perception of the respondents regarding the subject matter understudy. The inhibiting factors to primary health service delivery and utilization related to socio-economic and cultural characteristics of the users of the services found among others in rural communities of Abuja were: users perceived it that treatment received locally from traditional sources are cheaper than the PHC services, prevailing insufficient means of transportation, lack of assertive or esteem spirit by the users of the services etc. In view of the findings, the study recommends inter-alia; location of health centres in catchment areas to all members of the communities to reduce cost of transportation, scaling up awareness campaign in the communities through the use of health helpers or aids appointed from the community to sensitize the communities on the usefulness of the PHC service over the traditional healing methods.
Highlights
Effective administration of health care is a priority to the development of any nation
This study was based on an empirical survey of six hundred and forty four (644) respondents carefully drawn from staff of the primary health care centres and members of the communities in the four area councils selected for the study
The major issues inhibiting the delivery of primary health services from the socioeconomic and cultural perspective were the perceived low cost of local treatment compared with PHC services which were high
Summary
Effective administration of health care is a priority to the development of any nation. A branch of public administration (Basavanthappa, 2008) deals with matters related to promotion of health, preventive services, medical care, rehabilitation, the delivery of health services, the development of health manpower and medical education. Public health administration is the science and art of organising and coordinating government agencies with primary purpose of improving the physical, mental and social well-being of the people. Majority who could not access it were left without care. This approach was criticised as being too narrowly technological and highly professionalized, a client approach, creating professional dependency. It was too costly for poor countries, resulting in inequitable distribution of health care
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