Access and Utilization of Health Care Services Among Residents of Selected Rural Communities in Moro Local Government Area, Kwara State, Nigeria
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Date
2026-04-14
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Publisher
GAS PUBLISHERS
Abstract
Background: Access to healthcare continues to be difficult to achieve in the rural areas of Nigeria owing to poor infrastructural
development, shortage of personnel, financial barriers, and isolation. The importance of understanding access and utilization trends
cannot be underestimated.
Objective: This study investigated access to and utilization of healthcare services among people residing in Moro Local Government
Area, Kwara State, Nigeria and factors affecting them.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was carried out in three rural communities through selection of 166 adult participants
using multistage sampling technique. Data were collected via pre-tested questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 26.
Descriptive statistics were used to summarize frequencies and percentages, while Chi-square tests examined associations between
variables at a significance level of p < 0.05.
Results: Majority of the respondents (88.6%) reported access to healthcare facilities and 89.8% utilized them whenever ill. But only
63.9% demonstrated regular utilization. Government health centers constituted the highest proportion of visits (72.3%). The
treatment of diseases was the most utilized service (73.5%) whereas preventive care was less utilized. The main obstacles to
utilization were costs (46.4%), lack of health insurance (36.7%), long waiting hours (36.1%), and distances (41.0%). Family support
(71.7%) and staff respectfulness (82.5%) were some of the facilitators to utilization.
Conclusion: The utilization of health care services was less than optimal and dependent on financial, structural, and socio-cultural
variables. The underutilization of preventative services is an indication that there are inadequacies in the provision and delivery of
health education and health care services. The government needs to ensure adequate provision and accessibility of health care
facilities. Community-based health education by health workers is advised to encourage preventive healthcare use.
Keywords: Barriers to Health Services, Health Access and Utilization, Rural Community, Moro Local Government Area, Kwara
State, Nigeria
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Citation
Issa, Y. F., Muhammed, O. R., Abubakar, M. F., Olalekan, R. S., Yusuf, K. O., & Saka, S. B. (2026). Access and Utilization of Healthcare Services Among Residents of Selected Rural Communities in Moro Local Government Area, Kwara State, Nigeria. GAS Journal of Clinical Medicine and Medical Research (GASJCMMR), 3(4), 9-25.