Determinants of Uptake of Periodic Medical Examination among Students of College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, South-West Nigeria

Abstract

Background: This research was conducted to assess the factors that determine the uptake of periodic medical examination (PME) among
undergraduate students in Ile‑Ife, Nigeria.

Methods: Asample size of 328 was calculated using the sample size formula for a single proportion. Hence, a total of 328 undergraduate students of the College of Health Sciences at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile‑Ife, were included in this descriptive, cross‑sectional  study. A multistage sampling technique was adopted and the sampling was proportional to the size of the four undergraduate academic programs in the college. Data were collected using a self‑administered questionnaire. Chi‑square and t-tests were used to assess significant factors associated with its uptake. The determinants of PME uptake were identified using binary logistic regression.

Results: The majority of the respondents, 299 (91.2%), were aware of PME. The uptake was however poor, 93 (28.4%). The most common
barrier to the uptake was “inadequate time” due to the students’ perceived busy schedule. Others were religion, years spent in school, perceived susceptibility to diseases, cost of service, fear of the results, and lack of interest. The odd of uptake of PME was 18.3 times higher among people that express willingness relative to the participants without intention to uptake PME, P < 0.001.

Conclusion: The uptake of PME was poor despite the high level of awareness probably due to the perceived low disease susceptibility among the students and poor access to PME services. There is, therefore, a need for creating an enabling environment through policy formulation by the university’s management to address the barriers against the uptake of PME. Sensitization on the risk factors of chronic non-communicable diseases is also necessary to address the poor perception of susceptibility.

Keywords: Determinants, Ile‑Ife, periodic medical examination, Southwest Nigeria, undergraduates