CULTURAL BELIEFS AND HEALTHCARE UTILIZATION IN ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated cultural beliefs and healthcare utilization in Anambra
State, Nigeria. The study used a mixed-methods research design. This type of research
involves the collection and analysis of data via both quantitative and qualitative methods. The
quantitative data were gathered via questionnaires, and the qualitative data were collected via
an in-depth interview guide (IDI). The quantitative data collected were processed via SPSS
(23) and analysed with descriptive statistics, whereas the data from the qualitative interviews
were coded into themes that reflected the objectives of this study. Evidence suggests that
cultural beliefs affect healthcare utilization. In addition to cultural beliefs, economic factors
are other factors that prevent modern healthcare utilization. With the belief that traditional
medicine is potent, it presents a viable alternative. The major factor is economic factors. The
respondents believed that involving traditional healers in healthcare programs would help
increase healthcare utilization. Additionally, reducing the cost of utilizing modern healthcare
is a major intervention, among other findings. The results of this study suggest that further
studies that are comprehensive enough to breed more data are needed to aid in generalization.