Accessing Treatment by the Elderly in Nigeria A Study in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area

ABSTRACT. 

The elderly (60 years +) constitute more than 7% of the world population and in Nigeria constitute about 5.2% of the population based on the 2006 population census. The elders apart from being repositories of our culture and tradition also helps in mediation for peace as well as take care of children orphaned by current ravaging diseases including HIV/AIDS. The objective of this study is to assess the challenges faced by the elderly in accessing healthcare using a descriptive cross-sectional survey. Data was collected from 300 respondents of which females (57.7%) outnumbered (t=53.29,df=299,p˂.001) males (42.3%). Only 40.4% of the sample population has recognizable source of income i.e. pension and royalties from farm and business while the remaining 59.6% relies on monetary gift from children and relatives, charity, begging etc. 207 (69.0%)of the respondents (t=21.24,df=298,p˂.001) answered affirma vely to have been sick in the past 6 months while interestingly 145 (48.3%) of the respondents claims to be having chronic diseases other than hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, and stroke (t=32.39, df=294,p˂.001). The ‘chronic illness’ they are suffering as the researcher identified is psycho-somatic symptoms characterized by tingling and crawling sensations as well as internal heat. 209 (69.7%) of the respondents claims they seek health in places other than hospitals while those that seek health in hospitals are 30.3% of the respondents (t=31.16,df=294,p˂.001). It is worthy of note however, that 76 (25.3%) of the respondents claims patent medicine store as their choice for treatment while 142 (47.3%) claims they rarely go to hospital (t=42.98,df=297,p˂.001). The irony in the survey which depicts the apathy of the respondents to things involving the government is that irrespective of their proved poverty based on their income, they don’t consider that Cost, Distance to specialized centres, Attitude of health workers etc. impedes their access to healthcare. Equally as a proof of their perfunctoriness, 190 (63.3%) of the respondents answered on the negative on whether they advocate free/subsidized treatment for the elderly arguing that if they answer on the affirmative it won’t change anything. Apart from the perceived apathy, however, there is every x conviction that most of the people issued with the questionnaire are incapable of answering the questions rationally.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page…………………………………………………………………………………………………………i

Dedication……………………………………………………………………………………………………….ii

Acknowledgement………………………………………………………………………………………….iii

Table of contents……………………………………………………………………………………………iv

List of tables…………………………………………………………………….……………………………vi

List of figures……………………………………………………………………………………………….viii

Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………………………...x

CHAPTER ONE.

Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………1

Justification…………………………………………………………………………………………………….5

Goal………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..6

Specific objectives…………………………………………………………………………………………..6

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

Demographic pattern of the elderly………………………………………………………………..7

Morbidity of the elderly………………………………………………………………………………….8

Health seeking behaviour of the elderly………………………………………………………..9

Sources of income of the elderly……………………………………………………….…………..10

Challenges of accessing healthcare……………………………………………………………….11

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY

Study area…………………………………………………………………………………………………….15

Sample size……………………………………………………………………………………………………15

Study design………………………………………………………………………………………………….16

Ethical Approval…………………………………………………………………………………………….16

Data collection………………………………………………………………………………………………17

Limitation of study…………………………………………………………………………………………17

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS.

Demographic pattern of the elderly………………………………………………………………18

Income and its sources…………………………………………………………………………………23

Morbidity of the elderly………………………………………………………………………………..26

Health seeking behaviour………………………………………………………………………………29

Challenges in accessing treatment from hospitals…………………………………………32

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION………………………………………………………………………….40

CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION………………………………….44

REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………………………………......47

APPENDIX:

1. INFORMED CONSENT.

2. QUESTIONNAIRE.

3. RESEARCH ETHICAL APPROVAL.

4. PERMISSION FROM TRADITIONAL RULER