INFORMATION SEEKING BEHAVIOUR OF RURAL DWELLERS ON HEALTHCARE: THE CASE OF ETHIOPE EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA,DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated the information seeking behaviour of rural dwellers on health care in Ethiope East local Government areaof Delta State. The study discussed various health challenges of the rural dwellers, information seeking behavior of rural dwellers on healthcare and barriers to achieving healthcare information services delivery. The design adopted for the study was descriptive. The population for this study consisted of 200, 792. 0.1% of the population which is 200 was used as sample for the study and 150 questionnaires were retrieved from the rural dwellers. The questionnaire used to elicit information from the respondents consisted of two sections, which are biodata and information seeking behaviour. Data generated were analysed using frequency counts and simple percentages. Results revealed that the rural dwellers relied on traditional ways of seeking information needs while most of them were faced with the common health challenges. Other behavioural influencing factors were cultural belief, individual characteristics and health personnel factors which stand as barriers to information seeking behaviour on health care. The study recommends that encouraging proper means of information dissemination on health issues remains a sure remedy. Such means could include but not limited to peer educators technological training of communities, health promotion and disease prevention programmes,public awareness campaign by health personnel and other means such as the public libraries.