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Determinants of Health Services Utilization among the Elderly in Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria

Received: 10 July 2015     Accepted: 14 July 2015     Published: 1 August 2015
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Abstract

Background: Geriatric healthcare is increasingly becoming a component of the healthcare delivery system as the reality of healthcare for the elderly varies dramatically from one society to another. Objective: The general objective of this study was to identify the determinants of healthcare services utilization among the elderly in Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria. Methods: A semi-structured questionnaire was used to generate data from 200 respondents using multi-stage sampling technique. Data generated were analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS version 20.0) and results were presented in tables and charts. Chi-square was used to test for association between variables at 5% level of significance. Results: The result of this study showed that most respondents were aged 65-69years 74(37.0%) followed by those aged 70-74years 56(28.0%) and 75-79years 42(21.0%). More females 110(55%) than males 90(45%) participated in the study. More than half of the respondents 34(67%) reported to have visited the hospital in the last 12 months mainly for general body checkup 51(25.5%) and treatment 31(15.5%). Barriers to utilization of healthcare services identified in this study include; long waiting time 10(22.2%), drug prescribed not available 10(22.2%) and health workers not friendly 10(22.2%). Factors associated with health services utilisation among the elderly were gender, residential status, educational status, occupational status and income level (P<0.05). Conclusion: Proffering solutions to barriers to health services utilization highlighted in this study would promote optimal use of health services thereby improving the quality of life of the aged population.

Published in European Journal of Preventive Medicine (Volume 3, Issue 5)
DOI 10.11648/j.ejpm.20150305.11
Page(s) 129-136
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2015. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Elderly, Health Services, Determinants, Calabar Municipality

References
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[2] Mezey M. Fulmer T. Quality care for the frail elderly. Nursing Outlook, 1998; 46(6):291-292.
[3] Lutala M. P., Kwalya T. M., Kasagila E. K., Watongoka L. H., Mupenda B. W. Health care seeking and financial behaviours of the elderly during wartime in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. Afr J Prm Health Care Fam Med; 2010; 2(1):108-114
[4] Exavery A., Klipstein-Grobusch K., Debpuur C. Self-rated health and health care utilization among rural elderly Ghanaians in Kassena-Nankana district. 2011 Available at uaps2011.princeton.edu/papers/1103321-30.
[5] Okumagba P. O. Choice of health care services utilization by the elderly in Delta State in Nigeria. J Sociology Soc. Anth; 2011; 2(2):131-138.
[6] Abdulraheem I. S. Health Needs Assessment and Determinants of Health-Seeking Behaviour among Elderly Nigerians: A House-Hold Survey. Annals of African Medicine; 2007; 6:58-63.
[7] Scheppersa, E., Dongenb, E., Dekkerc, J.,Geertzend J., Dekkere J. Potential barriers to the use of health services among ethnic minorities: a review. Oxford Journals Medicine & Health Family Practice 2005; 23(3): 325-348
[8] Soai M. Distance, time and health workers’ attitude: How they determine people’s view towards the health care system. Med Care Analysis; 2012; 1(2): 12-15
[9] Chou K. L., Chi I., Chong A. M. L. The utilization of aged care services by the frail elderly and their family caregivers. Hong kong Med J. 2006; 12(2):7-9
[10] Ntsoane M. D., Oduntan O. A., Mpolokeng B. L. Utilization of public eye care services by the rural community residents in the Capricorn district, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Afr J Prm Health Care Fam Med.;2012; 4(1):7-12
[11] Obiechina G. O., Ekenedo G. O. Factors affecting utilization of University health services in a tertiary institution in South-West Nigeria. Niger J Clin Pract; 2013; 16:454-7
[12] Agbogidi J., Azodo C. Experiences Of The Elderly Utilizing Healthcare Services In Edo State. The Internet Journal of Geriatrics and Gerontology. 2009; 5(2): 23-77.
[13] Moe S., K. Tha, Naing D.K.S. and. Htike, M.M.T. Health seeking behavior of elderly in Myanmar, International Journal of Collaborative Research on Internal Medicine and Public Health, 2012; 4(8): 1538-1544
[14] National population commission, Projected population of Calabr South Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. 2006; Retrieved on January 14, 2012 from http//www.citypopulation.de
[15] Fisher, R. A. "On the interpretation of χ2 from contingency tables, and the calculation of P". Journal of the Royal Statistical Society 1945; 85(1): 87–94.
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  • APA Style

    Osuchukwu Nelson Chukwudi, Inde Margaret Uyilewhoma, Osuchukwu Easter Chukwudi, Eko Jimmy Ebi, O’Neill Mary Emmanuel, et al. (2015). Determinants of Health Services Utilization among the Elderly in Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria. European Journal of Preventive Medicine, 3(5), 129-136. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejpm.20150305.11

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    ACS Style

    Osuchukwu Nelson Chukwudi; Inde Margaret Uyilewhoma; Osuchukwu Easter Chukwudi; Eko Jimmy Ebi; O’Neill Mary Emmanuel, et al. Determinants of Health Services Utilization among the Elderly in Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria. Eur. J. Prev. Med. 2015, 3(5), 129-136. doi: 10.11648/j.ejpm.20150305.11

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    AMA Style

    Osuchukwu Nelson Chukwudi, Inde Margaret Uyilewhoma, Osuchukwu Easter Chukwudi, Eko Jimmy Ebi, O’Neill Mary Emmanuel, et al. Determinants of Health Services Utilization among the Elderly in Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria. Eur J Prev Med. 2015;3(5):129-136. doi: 10.11648/j.ejpm.20150305.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ejpm.20150305.11,
      author = {Osuchukwu Nelson Chukwudi and Inde Margaret Uyilewhoma and Osuchukwu Easter Chukwudi and Eko Jimmy Ebi and O’Neill Mary Emmanuel and Osonwa Okorie Kalu and Ekpo Ekpo Iyamba},
      title = {Determinants of Health Services Utilization among the Elderly in Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria},
      journal = {European Journal of Preventive Medicine},
      volume = {3},
      number = {5},
      pages = {129-136},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ejpm.20150305.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejpm.20150305.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ejpm.20150305.11},
      abstract = {Background: Geriatric healthcare is increasingly becoming a component of the healthcare delivery system as the reality of healthcare for the elderly varies dramatically from one society to another. Objective: The general objective of this study was to identify the determinants of healthcare services utilization among the elderly in Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria. Methods: A semi-structured questionnaire was used to generate data from 200 respondents using multi-stage sampling technique. Data generated were analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS version 20.0) and results were presented in tables and charts. Chi-square was used to test for association between variables at 5% level of significance. Results: The result of this study showed that most respondents were aged 65-69years 74(37.0%) followed by those aged 70-74years 56(28.0%) and 75-79years 42(21.0%). More females 110(55%) than males 90(45%) participated in the study. More than half of the respondents 34(67%) reported to have visited the hospital in the last 12 months mainly for general body checkup 51(25.5%) and treatment 31(15.5%). Barriers to utilization of healthcare services identified in this study include; long waiting time 10(22.2%), drug prescribed not available 10(22.2%) and health workers not friendly 10(22.2%). Factors associated with health services utilisation among the elderly were gender, residential status, educational status, occupational status and income level (P<0.05). Conclusion: Proffering solutions to barriers to health services utilization highlighted in this study would promote optimal use of health services thereby improving the quality of life of the aged population.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Determinants of Health Services Utilization among the Elderly in Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria
    AU  - Osuchukwu Nelson Chukwudi
    AU  - Inde Margaret Uyilewhoma
    AU  - Osuchukwu Easter Chukwudi
    AU  - Eko Jimmy Ebi
    AU  - O’Neill Mary Emmanuel
    AU  - Osonwa Okorie Kalu
    AU  - Ekpo Ekpo Iyamba
    Y1  - 2015/08/01
    PY  - 2015
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejpm.20150305.11
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ejpm.20150305.11
    T2  - European Journal of Preventive Medicine
    JF  - European Journal of Preventive Medicine
    JO  - European Journal of Preventive Medicine
    SP  - 129
    EP  - 136
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-8230
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejpm.20150305.11
    AB  - Background: Geriatric healthcare is increasingly becoming a component of the healthcare delivery system as the reality of healthcare for the elderly varies dramatically from one society to another. Objective: The general objective of this study was to identify the determinants of healthcare services utilization among the elderly in Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria. Methods: A semi-structured questionnaire was used to generate data from 200 respondents using multi-stage sampling technique. Data generated were analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS version 20.0) and results were presented in tables and charts. Chi-square was used to test for association between variables at 5% level of significance. Results: The result of this study showed that most respondents were aged 65-69years 74(37.0%) followed by those aged 70-74years 56(28.0%) and 75-79years 42(21.0%). More females 110(55%) than males 90(45%) participated in the study. More than half of the respondents 34(67%) reported to have visited the hospital in the last 12 months mainly for general body checkup 51(25.5%) and treatment 31(15.5%). Barriers to utilization of healthcare services identified in this study include; long waiting time 10(22.2%), drug prescribed not available 10(22.2%) and health workers not friendly 10(22.2%). Factors associated with health services utilisation among the elderly were gender, residential status, educational status, occupational status and income level (P<0.05). Conclusion: Proffering solutions to barriers to health services utilization highlighted in this study would promote optimal use of health services thereby improving the quality of life of the aged population.
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 5
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Public Health, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria

  • College of Health Technology, Calabar, Nigeria

  • Department of Nursing Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria

  • Department of Public Health, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria

  • Department of Environment Health, College of Health Technology, Calabar, Nigeria

  • Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria

  • College of Health Technology, Calabar, Nigeria

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