Общественная медицина и санитарное просвещение

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Impact of Health Education on Knowledge and Access to Delivery Care Services by Women among Edu Local Government Area, Nigeria

Umar NJ, Afolayan JL, Emmanuel EA, Rejuaro FM, Onasoga OA, Ibitoye MB

Background/Objective: Even with the best possible antenatal screening, any delivery can become a complicated one requiring emergency intervention. Generally, health education is always required to improve health situations of vulnerable populations. This study was conducted to find out the impact of health education on the knowledge and access to Delivery Care services among women of childbearing age in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria.

Materials and Methods: Using a quasi-experimental design, a researcher-designed questionnaire was used to collect data from a purposive sample of 120 women, divided into two groups: an experimental and a control group made up of 60 women each. A split-half test of reliability was used to determine the reliability of the instrument. The results were analyzed using descriptive (frequencies, mean and standard deviation) and inferential (t-test, Alpha level of 0.05 used as a criterion) statistics were used to answer research questions and test hypotheses respectively.

Results: A significant improvement in knowledge level among WCA about delivery care services after health education intervention programme in experimental group over those in control group after the intervention was found. Findings also indicate a very poor willingness of WCA to utilize delivery care services in both experimental group and control group before and after HEIP.

Conclusion: Health education intervention programme had positive impact on the knowledge of women of childbearing age about delivery care services but there was no significant impact on their willingness to access delivery care services in Edu local Government Areas.

Recommendations: Health education intervention programmes should be intensified to create further increase health awareness and knowledge while efforts should be made to encourage WCVA to patronise available delivery care services being provided. This may require further research to identify motivator factors to make WCA become willing.