Socioeconomic Effects on Household Access to Primary Healthcare Facilities in Selected Riverine Communities, Rivers State, Nigeria

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Access to healthcare is complex and varies across countries, regions, communities and individuals. The study aimed to assess the socioeconomic effects on household access to Primary Healthcare (PHC) facilities in selected riverine communities in Rivers State, Nigeria. Objectives of the study are to characterise the socioeconomic condition of households in the study area; determine the spatial distribution of PHC facilities in the study area, identify the effects of the socioeconomic conditions of households to access to PHC facilities in the selected riverine communities in the study area, and suggest appropriate policy measures to improve households access to PHC facilities and services in the study area. The study employed Mixed Methods Research (MMR) approach and sequential explanatory research design for data collection and analyses. The study employed simple random and purposive sampling techniques. A total of 400 respondents (households) were interviewed including key informants (government agencies and professionals) and Geographic Information System (GIS) was used for map analysis to show spatial distribution of PHC facilities in the study area. However, 328 questionnaires were considered valid for analysis of data. The study revealed, most of the households’ occupations are fishing, artisan and petty trading characterising low socioeconomic status. The study found PHC facilities are not evenly spatially distributed in the study area which has made households to use various available transport modes to access the facilities since the area is separated by creeks, rivers and sea. This has made travel time, distance and cost economically unfavourable to households in term of accessibility since they are relatively poor economically. The study has suggested the following recommendations including improvement of the socioeconomic status of households through education and vocational training programmes that will provide better employment opportunities, government should provide Mobile Healthcare programmes and services through water vessels and ambulances to reach remoted communities, proper study should be carried out to ascertain the population and their characteristics before locating PHC facilities for optimum utilisation, Smart Healthcare Services (SHCS) should be provided through Tele-Healthcare facilities to overcome distance and time, and government should collaborate with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and multinational to provide Mobile Healthcare services in riverine communities to reduce challenges of accessibility and cost on households.