ASSESSMENT OF ACCESSIBILITY OF RURAL WOMEN TO HEALTH CARE FACILITIES IN OLA- OLUWA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, OSUN STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

The inequality in the distribution of health care facilities is responsible for many health problems prevalent in the rural area. The rural women form a substantial proportion of the poor. Most members of the female labour force live and work in the rural area. Women health is very germane to enhancement of socio-economic activities in the rural area. This study assessed the accessibility of rural women to health care facilities in Ola-Oluwa Local Government Area, Osun State Nigeria with a view to provide information that could inform policy makers towards enhancing accessibility to healthcare facilities. In order to achieve the above stated aim, the specific objectives of the study are to: examine the socio-economic characteristics of rural women in the study area, identify factors influencing accessibility to health care facilities in the study area, examine the availability and locations of existing heath facilities in the study area; and determine the level of accessibility of the rural women to health facilities and their level of satisfaction. The research was conducted using sets of questionnaire and field observation to collect data for the purpose of fulfilling the objectives of the study. Structured questionnaire were administered to rural women and medical personnel at the selected communities and in the study area. A total of five hundred and seven copies of questionnaire (507) were administered in the research, while four (4) of the questionnaire could not be analysed due to incomplete information .Regression analysis was used to test the relationship between the education of the respondents and the patronage of health care facilities, the result showed that there is significant relationship between the two variables with coefficient value of 32.37 at 0.05 levels. The findings revealed that most roads in the area were in poor condition, the staffing situation in the facilities was grossly inadequate. The findings also revealed that medical equipment, drugs and other medical materials were not encouraged. Policy measures were recommended based on the research findings in order to enhance their access to facilities. These include; among others that the available facilities in the rural area should be properly overhauled with adequate staffing, equipment, drugs and other medical materials and that transportation system in the rural areas should be improved.