Abstract:
Under the back ground, human health seeking and the resulting health service utilization is
affected by multiple factors. The investigation of socio-cultural factors and health care
institutional factors influencing health seeking behavior as well as health service utilization
informs the health sectors at different levels. The objective was aimed to identify the social and
health care institution facility factors affecting the health seeking behavior of the community
in the utilization of health care service. The study was under taken in two Kebeles (Sheiki and
Hoffole) of Dedo district located in Jimma Zone, Oromia Region.
Methodologically, purposively selected 5 case and 18 key informant community members were
used as sources of information. In depth interview, case study, observation and document review
were the standard method used for data collection. By its final result, individual, the family,
illness characteristics; physical accessibility factors such as travel time from home to facility,
availability and cost of transportation and condition of roads, and finally the delay in reaching
an adequate health care facility factors include shortages of trained personnel; and competence
of available personnel were variables which were influenced the health care service of the study
area.
To sum up, in the conclusion, the social conditions in which people live and work can
create or destroy individual’s health. Lack of income, inappropriate and lack of access to
health care systems, social, economic and environmental, cultural, health care facility were
some of an influencing factors of health care service seeking behaviors of the community at the
study area.
