Correlates of Residents Socio-Economic Characteristics and Frequency of Visits to Healthcare Facilities in Ondo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship that exists between the socio-economic characteristics of residents and their frequency of visits to healthcare facilities in Ondo State, Nigeria. The data utilized in the paper draws on systematic sampling of 1,181 health consumers in the three senatorial districts of the State. Findings revealed that socio-economic characteristics play a significant role in determining the frequency of visits to healthcare facilities, this is substantiated with the chi-square test result that revealed a significant relationship between marital status and frequency of visits to healthcare facilities with  = 39.387 and significant at p = 0.000 level, also a significant relationship exists between education and frequency of visits ( 15蠂虏">  = 31.354 and significant at p = 0.012 levels), the test result equally revealed a significant difference between income of households and the frequency of visits to healthcare facilities with  = 30.936 and significant at p = 0.000 levels. The paper therefore concluded that efforts should be put in place in order to improve or enhance the socio-economic characteristics of residents which will invariably improve their access or frequency of visits to healthcare facilities.

Keywords: Frequency of visits, healthcare, Ondo State, socio-economic