Accessibility and patronage of healthcare in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

This study examined accessibility and patronage of healthcare in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Data for the study were obtained from surveyed patients and medical personnel in selected hospitals. A multi-stage stratified sampling technique was employed, while 200 copies of the questionnaire were randomly administered to the respondents in the study area with a response rate of 99%. Results showed that 48.5% of the participants were males, while 51.5% were females. In addition, 26.8% of the participants indicated that distance to health facilities patronized is less than 1 km, 13.1% of the participants indicated 2 km, 43.4% of the participants indicated 3 km, while 16.7% of the participants indicated that distance to the health facilities was over 4 km. Based on the results, this study recommends increased investment in basic amenities and geographic access to healthcare, training, and recruitment of qualified medical personnel should be encouraged to improve geographic access to healthcare, quality of healthcare, and increased patronage of healthcare facilities.

KEYWORDS:

• Accessibility
• patronage
• preferences
• healthcare facilities
• Bayelsa State
• Nigeria

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the immense contributions of Dr O. O. Alokan of the Department of Geography, University of Ibadan, as well as Dr Ogbuozobe, of the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Clement Ebizimor Deinne bagged his Ph.D. in Geography from the Department of Geography, Faculty of the Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. His research interests span Economic Geography, Development Geography, Health Geography and Environmental studies.

Ekio Ambakederemo is a graduate of Geography from the Department of Geography, Faculty of the Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.