Utilization of healthcare facilities among farming households in Yewa South Local Government Area, Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated the utilization of healthcare facilities among farming households in Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 120 farming households and primary data were collected through the use of questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate probit regression model. The results indicated that the mean age of the respondents was 41 years with an average household size of five people. About 31%of the respondents had no formal education and farming is the main occupation of respondents. Most (45.8%) of the respondents travelled a distance of 5 km or less before accessing health care facilities. Primary health care was the major health care service utilized by respondents in the study area. Results further revealed that age, education, household size, income, distance to healthcare facilities, severity of ailments and belief were the major socioeconomic factors determining demand for healthcare facilities in the study area. The findings call for government at all tiers to establish more healthcare facilities closer to the residence of the rural areas to increase the farming households’ accessibility to these facilities.

Keywords: healthcare, households, multivariate probit, trado-medicals