Evaluation of Residents’Accessibility and Utilization of Healthcare Facilities in Oko-Ito Gberigbe, Ikorodu Local Government Area, Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study evaluated the accessibility and utilization of healthcare facilities in Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State, Nigeria. The World Health Organization emphasized the importance of healthy living, therefore, it becomes imperative for major stakeholders especially the Government, to ensure the availability of ultramodern healthcare facilities with adequate medical personnel and ensure equitable access by the residents. Socio-economic status of the residents, their location and accessibility are some of the factors identified that influence the residents’ use of the healthcare facility. For the purpose of this research, primary data was collected by random administration of questionnaire and direct interview of residents in Oko-Ito, Gberigbe, Ikorodu. The population of the study area is projected from 3,550 in 2015 to 4,035 in 2019 using the projection formula with a population growth rate of 3.2 percent. With the aid of SPSS, the data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Demographic features of the respondents such as gender, age, level of education and occupation were taken into consideration, and a bulk of the population of the respondents affirm that the utilization of the available healthcare facility, despite its distance from the study area, is greatly influenced by the fact that it is owned by the Government – a Primary Health Center located at Igbalu community with a walking distance of over 1km from the study area. The influencing factor for the utilization of this healthcare facility was evaluated using the Usage Factor Index (UFI) with ‘quality of staff’ having the highest coefficient followed by ‘nature of illness.’ ‘Proximity to home’ has the lowest coefficient followed by ‘good road network.’ The UFI values indicate the need for a standard healthcare facility in Oko-Ito community, and it is highly recommended for community leaders to reach out to all relevant stakeholders including religious bodies and Non-Governmental Organizations both at local and state level to help in building accessible health care facility in this community