ACCESSIBILITY AND UTILIZATION OF MODERN MEDICINE IN AJIOLO COMMUNITY IN KOGI EAST, KOGI STATE

Abstract

Maternal deaths due to poor health during pregnancy and childbirth constitute one of the challenges women face during child birth. In rural communities in Nigeria, the dangers are particularly more severe. Many factors such as lack of good healthcare, clear useful information about women’s health complicate the problem. These combine to create poor health for women in developing countries and mostly rural areas. This study was conducted to explore access and utilization and their consequences on maternal mortality in a rural community in Nigeria using Ajiolo community in Kogi State, as a point of focus. Data were obtained from a cross section of mothers aged 15-49 years in Ajiolo. A cluster random sampling procedure was adopted to select 292 respondents for the study. The total number of questionnaire respondents was 280, while qualitative data were obtained from 12 respondents through in-depth interview. The data collected from the questionnaire were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS V.20). The result showed that factors such as education, occupation, birth control knowledge, choice of health facility, utilization of modern facility and poverty had serious implications for maternal health. The study has both theoretical and practical significance. This study revealed that the factors affecting maternal mortality may form the basis of a policy response to the problems. The study recommends the promotion and creation of awareness about the rights of women, especially in rural communities, to shore up support for women to take certain decisions about their health and healthcare.