HEALTH SEEKING BEHAVIOUR IN THE AKUAPEM-NORTH MUNICIPALITY OF GHANA

ABSTRACT People’s response to illness symptoms whenever they are perceived is dependent on them and influenced by a plethora of factors which makes them behave differently towards treatment seeking. With this, the study examined the health seeking behaviour in the Akuapem-North Municipality. Drawing on Kroeger’s (1983) health service utilisation model, it specifically examined individuals’ socio-demographic characteristics and other factors that influence the choice and use of particular health facilities. It also examined the barriers to health service use and the modes of health service financing in the study area. The study was a cross-sectional one and adopted the mixed method approach. A four-step multi-stage cluster sampling was used to select 205 respondents for the individual survey while respondents for the qualitative facet of the study were randomly selected. The study reports of general body pains/headache as the predominant illness in the municipality. It showed higher utilisation of informal than formal medical facilities. Sex, educational level, income, health insurance, severity of illness and distance to health providers are some of the factors that significantly influence individuals’ health seeking behaviour in the Akuapem-North Municipality. However, availability, proximity, longer waiting times and attitude of staff of health providers are some of the restrictive barriers to utilising formal health facilities whereas NHIS and out-of-pocket payment are the main modes of health service financing in the municipality. Conclusively, the study confirms the positive association between perceived morbidity, illness response and access to and utilisation of health services emphasised by Kroeger (1983). The study recommends an integration of both the formal and informal medical systems in order to help improve and assist health service delivery in the country and especially in the municipality