Analysing the primacy of distance in the utilization of health services in the Ahafo‐Ano South district, Ghana

Abstract

Although the distance factor has been identified as key in the utilization of health services in rural areas of developing countries, it has been analysed without recourse to related factors of travel time and transport cost. Also, the influence of distance on vulnerable groups in utilization has not been an object of survey by researchers. This paper addresses the impact of distance on utilization, and how distance compares with travel time and transport cost that are related to it in the utilization of health services in the Ahafo-Ano South (rural) district in Ghana. The study, a cross-sectional survey, also identifies the position of distance among other important factors of utilization. A sample of 400, drawn through systematic random technique, was used for the survey. Data were analysed using the regression model and some graphic techniques. The main instruments used in data collection were formal (face-by-face) interview and a questionnaire. The survey finds that distance is the most important factor that influences the utilization of health services in the Ahafo-Ano South district. Other key factors are income, service cost and education. The effect of travel time on utilization reflects that of distance and utilization. Recommendations to reduce distance coverage, improve formal education and reduce poverty have been made.

Analysis of Socio-Economic Characteristics and Utilization of Healthcare Facilities in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria

“…Moreover, Leive and Xu (2008) asserted that a number of factors have been showed to be potential barriers in assessing healthcare services and these include distance and cost of travel to the health facility, socio-cultural factors and cost of service especially in developing countries of the world. Among all these factors distance and cost of travel to the healthcare facilities have been considered to be the most important factor affecting the rate at which healthcare facilities are been utilized (Awoyemi et al, 2011), this was manifested in the work of Olugbamila (2016) that accessibility to healthcare facilities is the ability of individual or community to obtain healthcare services which have been said to depend on the cost of travel and distance of the healthcare facility to place of resident (Buor, 2003).…”

“…Yang, George and Mullner (2006) remarked that equitable distribution of healthcare resources is one of the main goals of healthcare facility planning. It has therefore been established in literature that uneven distribution of healthcare facilities has increased the percentage of income spent on healthcare services (Olugbamila, 2016) as well as the distance that a prospective health seeker have to travel to enjoy the available healthcare services (Buor, 2003). It is a general consensus that few people are willing to utilize a particular facility as the distance from it increases (Balogun andAlaegor, 2006 andAdetunji, 2013).…”

Development and validation of a smartphone-based digits-in-noise hearing test in South African English

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Effect of a breast navigation programme in a teaching hospital in Africa

“…The response to navigation appeared to be better among the individuals with a higher education (higher than secondary school), which may be explained by a better understanding of health and higher utilisation of health facilities. 17 Patient navigation should focus on individuals with lower education and those who are unfamiliar with the hospital system; thus, modification in the approach of this particular programme could have yielded better outcomes in those who need it most.…”