Literacy and Health Seeking Behaviours among Patients in Benue and Cross River States of Nigeria

Abstract

This paper is a report of a study carried out to determine the relationship between outpatients literate status and their health seeking behaviour. It was a survey study in which a questionnaire was administered to a total of 451 outpatients in four health facilities in Benue and Cross River State of Nigeria. The data collected showed no significant differences in the health seeking behaviour of literate and non-literate patients in terms of:
1. Their knowledge of personal health statistics.
2. Their ability to access health information within a health facility.
3. Their ability to make informed choices of a health facility to attend.
4. Their ability to follow up treatment.
Among others, it was suggested that health literacy should be an integral part of all literacy campaigns