DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES AMONG HOUSEHOLDS IN BENIN CITY

ABSTRACT

Past studies have focused largely on waiting time, cost of treatment, and not much has been done households’ demand for healthcare services. This study investigates the socioeconomic factors that determine households’ demand for healthcare services at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City, Nigeria. The Sick Role Model, and Social Action theories guided the study and the research design was a cross-sectional survey. A Multistage sampling technique was used to select 422 respondents from five units of the hospital. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to obtain relevant information from the respondents. Fifteen in-depth interviews (IDIs) were also conducted. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics and chi-square while the qualitative data were content analysed. Findings show that married, 42.4% had post primary education, and 95.7% were Christians. 95% indicated a moderate level of satisfaction from the use of healthcare. 47% indicated that economic constraints has an influence on their use and satisfaction with the health care provided. Also, cultural beliefs, recipients’ age, gender, spousal roles, access to multiple doctors, and staff-patient relationship, health education, income, and occupation influenced their satisfaction. It is recommended that socioeconomic factors, as they affect outcome of in-patients and utilisation of the available healthcare services, be integrated into their medical services in the hospital organisation providing health care services especially in teaching hospitals. It is important for health care professionals to give consideration to cultural beliefs and economic issues of recipients who are seeking healthcare in the teaching hospital.