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Factors affecting the use of primary health care clinics for children
Insights
Family health workers and perceived disease severity significantly impact primary health care clinic attendance in Nigerian children. Education and younger maternal age correlate with higher immunization rates, informing healthcare policy.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Primary health care (PHC) clinic attendance is crucial for child health in developing nations.
- Understanding factors influencing attendance is vital for optimizing healthcare delivery in Lagos, Nigeria.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate socioeconomic, psychological, and demographic factors affecting attendance at primary health care clinics in Lagos.
- To identify predictors of clinic attendance and develop a model for targeted healthcare interventions.
Main Methods:
- A study was conducted with 120 Nigerian children at two primary health care clinics in Lagos.
- Immunization level served as a proxy for attendance frequency.
- Data on family size, parental education, maternal age, child's sex, and family health worker influence were collected.
Main Results:
- Fully immunized children often came from smaller families with educated parents and younger mothers; a higher proportion were boys.
- Family health workers played a key role in promoting early and regular clinic attendance.
- Perception of disease severity was a significant psychological determinant of attendance.
Conclusions:
- Socioeconomic, psychological, and demographic factors are critical determinants of PHC clinic attendance.
- Family health workers are essential for improving attendance rates.
- A predictive model can aid in developing more effective primary health care programs and policies.
Abstract:
Factors affecting the attendance at primary health care clinics in Lagos were studied at Oguntolu Clinic and Randle Road Health Centre among 120 Nigerian children. The level of immunisation was a measure of the frequency (regularity) of attendance at the clinics. Certain socioeconomic, psychological, and demographic factors were the major factors affecting attendance. Among those fully immunised, the family sizes were low, the mothers and fathers were educated, the mothers were younger, and a higher proportion of the children were boys. The family health workers were responsible for earlier and regular attendance at the clinic. The perception of the severity of symptoms of disease was a major psychological factor affecting attendance. A predictive model for the identification of high need but low users and low need but high users is presented to facilitate the formulation of more realistic primary health care programme priorities and policies.