Utilisation of health services in the Obuasi municipauty
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2015-04-17
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Ghana
Abstract
This study examined the utilisation of health services in the Obuasi
Municipality. Drawing on Kroeger's (1983) health behavioural
model, it specifically examined the incidence of major diseases and
people's perception about disease causation. The study also
assessed the kinds of health facilities often utilised by different
socio-economic groups and factors influencing the use of these
health facilities in the Obuasi Municipality. Lastly, the modes
through which people in the study area finance their health care
were also examined. A multi-stage cluster sampling method was
used in selecting 210 respondents for a household survey whiles a
purposive sampling technique was used to select interviewees.
The study reports that malaria is the most prevalent disease among
diseases reported by the respondents. Respondents gave much
credence to the natural aetiological model and the germ theory of
disease causation. The study showed higher utilisation of hospitals
and health clinics than health centres and traditional health
centres. The proximity of health facilities, quality of health services
rendered, adequacy of equipment and personnel, social accessibility
were some of the factors that influence utilisation of specific
health facilities in the Obuasi Municipality. The study concludes
that there is a direct positive link between perceived morbidity,
illness response, access to and use of health care services, as
reported by Kroeger (1983). The study therefore recommends
provision of mobile or outreach clinical services to dispersed rural
communities, which do not have the threshold population to merit
Community-based Health Planning Services (CHPS)
Description
School of social sciences colloquium
Keywords
Community-based Health Planning Services (CHPS), malaria, health care, rural communities