Comprehensive health assessment of Iyekuselu District, Bendel State, Nigeria

The purpose of this study was to assess the health knowledge of heads of households, their perceived needs, and the attitudes they held toward health services in order to make recommendations and suggest a plan for new health programs for lyekuselu District area.

Fifteen villages were randomly selected from the 107 villages in the area. There were 17 interviews per village for a total of 255. Five interviewers were trained to assist the researcher with the interviews. A questionnaire was used to conduct the interview.

The following are the major conclusions drawn from the study.

1. The heads of households in the lyekuselu District, Bendel State, Nigeria, self report their health as good even though a low level of knowledge and understanding of disease endemic to the area exist.

2. The heads of households' attitudes toward health services provided at the medical facilities are generally negative.

3. The heads of households in lyekuselu District, Nigeria, accept traditional healing administered by native doctors as legitimate alternative health care. However, for the illnesses considered in this study, the vast majority will consider orthodox medicine. When the native doctor is preferred, it was due to the concern for interpersonal matters.

4. The self perceived health care needs of these heads of households are disease control and improved accessibility to health care facilities at low cost.

5. The data gathered in this study appear to support the concept that a health education/promotion program is a legitimate vehicle for improving the health status of individuals living in lyekuselu District, Bendel State, Nigeria.