Impact of the decision to use healthcare facilities among farming households on labour productivity in Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Productivity of agricultural labour is central to the improvement of livelihoods of rural population. This study used an instrumental variable approach to examine the impact of healthcare facilities use on household labour productivity using distance to healthcare facilities as an instrument. A multistage sampling procedure was used in selecting 200 households comprising 96 users and 104 non-users of healthcare facilities. The result revealed that the agricultural productivity of users of healthcare facilities was ₦652.34 (USD 1.65) per man-day higher than non-users. The result further showed that age (p < 0.1), sex (p < 0.05), contact with health extension worker (p < 0.01), incapacitation due to illness (p < 0.05) and distance to healthcare facilities (p < 0.01) significantly influenced the decision to use healthcare facilities while membership of cooperative society (p < 0.05), area cultivated and use of health care facilities (p < 0.1) significantly influenced labour productivity. The study concluded that increased distance to healthcare facilities reduces its utilisation while being member of cooperative society and utilisation of healthcare facilities increases labour productivity. This study recommended that health extension workers need to intensify their efforts in educating the households on the need to use healthcare facilities when they are sick; this is expected to improve the healthy time of the households which will invariably increase their productivity.