Self-reported medical care seeking behaviour of doctors in Nigeria

Abstract

Background: There is need for information on the medical care seeking behaviour of Nigerian doctors.

Purpose: This work was therefore designed to study the medical care seeking behaviour of Nigerian doctors in Nigeria.

Methods: It was a cross-sectional survey among doctors in Nigeria.

Results: Data from 522 doctors were included in the analysis. Majority of them (80.5%) had one form of illness or the other in the year preceding the survey. Only 35% of them reportedly consulted another doctor during their illness. Most of the consultations (61.2%) were informal in the form of over the phone (45.6%), Corridor (33.3%) and home visit (21.1%) and just 18.4% of the consultations occurred within 24 h of onset of illness. A low 19.5% of them had a regular source of medical care. Screening for illnesses was generally below expectation. Just 6 out of the 436 (1.4%) male doctors had screened for prostate cancer while 39 out of 86 (45.3%) females had screened for cervical cancer. A significantly higher proportion of general practitioners (p= 0.01) and doctors above 45 years of age (P = 0.004) consulted informally. Higher proportion of general practitioners and resident doctors based their consultations on their familiarity with the doctors consulted (p= 0.001) and privacy during consultation (p=0.001). Delay in consultation for more than 24 h after onset of illness was more likely in those above below the age of 45 years (p= 0.001).

Conclusion: This study has shown that Nigerian doctors are often reluctant patients who frequently tend to delay medical care. The teaching of appropriate medical care seeking behaviour should be incorporated into medical curriculum in Nigeria.

Keywords: Medical care; Illness; Behaviour; Doctors; Nigeria