Socio-culturaland health care facility factors affecting health seeking behavior and the utilization of health care services

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.