Utilization of primary health care facilities: lessons from a rural community in southwest Nigeria.
BACKGROUND
This study assessed service/organisational factors and clients' perceptions that influenced utilisation of Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities in a rural community in Nigeria.


METHODS
A cross-sectional household survey in the community as well as key-informant interviews of opinion leaders and health care providers and participant observations of health facilities and utilisation pattern was used to collect data.


RESULTS
Forty-four percent of respondents to the survey who were ill in the preceding six months visited a PHC facility for treatment, while others relied on self-medication/self-treatment. Education was positively associated with utilisation of PHC services (P<0.05). Maternal and child health (45.4%), prompt attention (23.0%), and appropriate outpatient (20.5%) services attracted respondents to use PHC services. Poor education about when to seek care, poverty, perceived high cost of PHC services, lack of drugs and basic laboratory services, and a regular physician on site at the facility were identified as barriers to utilisation.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that community perceptions of poor quality and inadequacy of available services was responsible for low use of PHC services.
Sule
S S
SS
Department of Community Health, ObafemiAwolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. sssule2002@yahoo.com
Ijadunola
K T
KT
Onayade
A A
AA
Fatusi
A O
AO
Soetan
R O
RO
Connell
F A
FA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012938:Social Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires