Access to and utilization of health care facilities in the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam and Upper-Denkyira Districts of the Central Region, Ghana

Abstract

The study examined access to and utilization of health care facilities in the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam and Upper Denkyira districts of the Central Region. Multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted to select the two districts capitals and 15 other settlements in the two districts. In all 17 settlements, seven from Upper Denkyira and 10 from Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam were selected. Four hundred and twenty respondents from UDD and 380 from AEED were included in the study. Questionnaire consisting of both open-ended and closed-ended items were administered to the 800 respondents. Using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and STATA the collected data were analysed and output displayed in frequencies, percentages and binary logistic regression. It emerged that both orthodox and non-orthodox facilities were available and operated along-side each other. Again, among orthodox facilities, drug stores were the most widely used. It also emerged that socio-demographic characteristics such as sex, age, occupation, formal level of education, income, marital and residential status of heads of households influenced the choice of health care facilities in both districts. Diseases such as malaria, diarrhoea, typhoid and skin rashes were some of the diseases reported. However, malaria was the major. Disease reported. Even though the districts differed in their levels of development, use of health care facilities were similar. It is recommended that more health care facilities be provided in order to increase access to health care services. For instance, more CHPS compound could be provided in rural areas to help increase their access to orthodox medicine.