Utilization of health care facilities in Northern Namibia's rural community

Abstract

Abstract provided by author:

The study investigated factors associated with utilization of health care facilites in Northern Namibia's rural areas. It was conducted in four villages in Ovambo namely: Elim, Okahao, Oshakati, and Oniipa. The study sample consisted of 100 subjects both males and females above the age of seventeen. The subjects were selected conveniently and they were to respond to a questionnaire consisting of 38 items

Factors identified in the study, that may contributed to non-use and under utilization of health facilities were: Service and transport costs, negative attitudes of health personnel, communication problems, distances to and from health facilities, cultural beliefs and political factors eg. night curfew, military control of health facilities, and landmines on the roads

The dissatisfiers identified in the study, that may contributed to non-use and under-utilization of health facilities were: Lack of public transport, the length of time patients had to wait before medical attention, visiting hours, amount of information given to patients about what was wrong with them, inadequate sewage disposal, overcrowded facilities with patients accommodated on floors and in the shades of trees, lack of qualified personnel, lack of security when in or traveling to health facilities, lack of trust in treatment given at health facilities and inconvenient working hours and days