Socio-Economic Correlates of Illness Behaviour among Pregnant Women in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria

Implication for Health Promotion

Abstract

Illness behaviour in pregnancy is a matter of great concern, as it can affect pregnancy outcome, have an adverse effect on pregnant women as it does on other groups of people. The purpose of the study was to determine socioeconomic correlates of illness behaviour of pregnant women in Gboko LGA of Benue State, Nigeria. The correlational research design was used. The population for the study consisted of 5608 pregnant women in Gboko LGA of Benue State at the period of the study. Multistage sampling technique was used to arrive at the sample size of 480 respondents. The researchers-designed questionnaire was used for data collection. Cronbach alpha statistics was used to test the reliability and a reliability coefficient of .84 was established and was considered high enough for use. Criteria mean point was used to determine illness behaviours. Pearson product-moment correlation was used to answer research questions while linear regression analysis was used to test the null hypotheses at.05level of significance and appropriate degrees of freedom. Result showed that there was: no relationship between level of education (r= -.009; p=.848); very low mean correlation between occupation (r= -.042; p= .369); and very low relationship between income (r= -.087; p= .063) of pregnant women in Gboko LGA and their illness behaviours. However, there were significant relationships between level of education (F = .072, P= .789 > .05), occupation (F = 2.047, P= .153 > .05), and family income (F = 3.226, P= .073 > .05) and the illness behaviours of pregnant women in Gboko LGA. The study recommended that health professionals should educate pregnant women on the importance of antenatal care to improve the health of childbearing mothers and to be enlightened on what to do when they face some pregnant related illnesses.