Factors Affecting Health Seeking Behavior among Rural Dwellers in Nigeria and its Implication on Rural Livelihood

Abstract

Majority of the Nigerian population lives in rural area, where agriculture is the mainstay. Nigerian rural areas are the most neglected and its people, the most deprived with regard to the provision of modern health care services. Besides, they lack other basic infrastructural necessary for the maintenance and promotion of good health. The implication is that rural dwellers are subjected to high incidence of morbidity and mortality resulting from the incidence of preventable and infectious disease. Knowledge about health care seeking behavior is very crucial in health care policies formulation, early diagnosis, effective treatment and implementation of appropriate interventions in the rural areas where productive tasks are labor-intensive. In order to build a responsive health system in the rural areas, there is need to understand the health seeking behaviors on the demand side and that is the only way to expect improved health outcomes. This paper explores the factors influencing health-seeking behavior of rural areas in Nigeria and its implication on rural livelihood.