Assessment of health-seeking behaviour of staff in tertiary health institutions in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nigeria Évaluation du comportement de recherche de soins du personnel des établissements de santé tertiaires du Territoire de la capitale fédérale (FCT), Nigéria
Main Article Content
Abstract
ENGLISH
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic, massive exodus and emigration of health workers from the country have cumulatively put a major strain on the staff-strength of tertiary health institutions. This has caused health workers to look after their health in a haphazard way through inadequate consultation and inappropriate self-referral to specialist services.
Objective: To assess the health-seeking behaviour of hospital staff in tertiary health institutions in FCT, Nigeria.
Method: A multi-centered, descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in three tertiary institutions in FCT, Nigeria amongst both clinical and non-clinical staff. A pretested 43-item questionnaire was used to assess health-seeking behaviours of 384 respondents. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24, with descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) and chi-square tests.
Result: About 85.3 % response rate was achieved, with 384 completed questionnaires. Positive health-seeking behaviour was observed in 69 % of respondents for voluntary medical checkups, 78.9 % for basic self-care, 98.7 % for managing smoking risks, 63.3 % for avoiding high-salt processed food, 69.8 % for COVID-19 vaccination, and 68.8 % for hepatitis B vaccination (P<0.05). Cancer screenings and mental health evaluations were the least performed. Barriers to positive health-seeking behaviour included the perceived significance of periodic medical check-ups, lack of time, financial constraints, lack of hepatitis B screening, and scepticism towards COVID-19 vaccines.
Conclusion: Hospital staff at tertiary institutions in FCT, Nigeria exhibited overall positive health-seeking behaviour, particularly for medical checkups and self-care. However, cancer screenings and mental health evaluations were underperformed, highlighting areas for improvement.
FRENCH
Contexte: La pandémie de COVID-19, l'exode massif et l'émigration des professionnels de la santé hors du pays ont mis à rude épreuve les effectifs des établissements de santé tertiaires. Les professionnels de santé ont donc dû gérer leur santé de manière désordonnée, par le biais de consultations inadéquates et d'un auto-recours inapproprié à des services spécialisés.
Objectif: Évaluer le comportement du personnel hospitalier des établissements de santé tertiaires du FCT, au Nigeria, en matière de recherche de soins.
Méthode: Une étude transversale descriptive et multicentrique a été menée dans trois établissements tertiaires du FCT, au Nigeria, auprès du personnel clinique et non clinique. Un questionnaire pré-testé de 43 questions a été utilisé pour évaluer les comportements de recours aux soins de 384 personnes interrogées. Les données ont été analysées à l'aide de la version 24 du logiciel SPSS, avec des statistiques descriptives (fréquences et pourcentages) et des tests du chi carré.
Résultat: Un taux de réponse d'environ 85,3% a été atteint, avec 384 questionnaires remplis. Un comportement positif de recherche de soins a été observé chez 69% des répondants pour les examens médicaux volontaires, 78,9% pour les soins personnels de base, 98,7% pour la gestion des risques liés au tabagisme, 63,3% pour éviter les aliments transformés riches en sel, 69,8% pour la vaccination contre la COVID-19 et 68,8% pour la vaccination contre l'hépatite B (P < 0,05). Les dépistages du cancer et les évaluations de la santé mentale étaient les moins effectués. Les obstacles à un comportement positif en matière de recherche de santé comprenaient la perception de l'importance des examens médicaux périodiques, le manque de temps, les contraintes financières, l'absence de dépistage de l'hépatite B et le scepticisme à l'égard des vaccins contre la COVID-19.
Conclusion: Le personnel hospitalier des établissements de soins tertiaires du FCT, au Nigéria, a affiché un comportement globalement positif en matière de recherche de soins, notamment en ce qui concerne les examens médicaux et les soins auto-administrés. Cependant, les dépistages du cancer et les évaluations de santé mentale ont été insuffisamment réalisés, ce qui met en évidence des points à améliorer.
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
1. Kasl SV, Cobb S (1966). Health behavior, illness behavior, and sick role behavior. Archives of Environmental Health, 12:246-66.
2. Clarke J, Macguire YO (1998). A study of self-care among Irish doctors. Irish Medical Journal, 91(5):175-6.
3. Adamu H, Yusuf A, Inalegwu CU, Sufi RA, Adamu AN (2018). Factors influencing health-seeking behaviour of health workers in a tertiary health institution in Sokoto, Northwest Nigeria. Sahel Medical Journal, 21:162-70.
4. Akande TM, Salaudeen AG (2008). Health-care seeking behaviour in Anyigba, North-Central, Nigeria. Research Journal of Medical Science,
2(2):47-51.
5. Ojong IN, Nsemo AD, Aji P (2020). Routine medical checkup knowledge, attitude and practice among health care workers in a tertiary health facility in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. Global Journal of Health Science, 12(8):27-35.
6. Oguntoye OO, Yusuf M, Durowade KA (2017). Perception and practice of routine medical check-up by health workers at a tertiary health facility in South-West Nigeria. International Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Research, 6(3):151-162.
7. Nnadozie UU, Asouzu NC, Asouzu NC, Anekwu EM, Obayi NOK, Maduba CC, et al. (2021). Feeding behavior among health-care workers in a tertiary health institution, Southeast Nigeria. Annals of African Medicine 20(3):169.
8. Abadom EG, Otene CI (2022). Factors affecting routine medical screening among health workers in a tertiary hospital in Delta State. Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice 25(6):951-9.
9. Yamane T. (1973). Statistics: An Introductory Analysis. 3rd edition. New York: Harper & Row.
10. Molenberg FJM, de Vries C, Burdorf A, Van Lenthe FJ (2021). A framework for exploring non-response patterns over time in health surveys. BMC Medical Research Methodology 21(37).
11. Skinner HA (1982). Drug Use Questionnaire (DAST- 20). Center for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.
12. Pan American Health Organization (2013). Questionnaire on Knowledge, Attitudes, Behavior toward Dietary Salt and Health. Washington, D.C.: PAHO. Available at: https://www.paho.org/en/documents/questionnaire-knowledge-attitudes-behavior-toward-dietary-salt-and-health. Accessed July 28, 2023
13. Global Adult Tobacco Survey Collaborative Group (2011). Tobacco Questions for Surveys: A Subset of Key Questions from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2nd Edition. Atlanta, GA: Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
14. Riley L, Guthold R, Cowan M, Savin S, Bhatti L, Armstrong T, Bonita R. (2016). The World Health Organization STEPwise approach to
noncommunicable disease risk-factor surveillance: methods, challenges, and opportunities. American Journal of Public Health. 106 (1):74-8.
15. Omokhua HA, Ehizele AO (2020). Routine medical check among dental health workers in Edo State. Nigerian Journal of Dental Research 5(1):20-9.
16. Ogunlesi AO, Adelekan ML (1988). Nigerian primary health care workers: a pilot survey on attitude to mental health. Bulletin of Royal College of Psychiatrists 12(10):441-3.
17. American Academy of Family Physicians (2020). Clinical practice guideline: Management of blood cholesterol. Available at:
https://www.aafp.org/family-physician/patient-care/clinical-recommendations/all-clinical-recommendations/cholesterol.html. Accessed July
29, 2023.
18. Bana S, Yakoob J, Jivany N, Faisal A, Jawed H, Awan S (2016). Understanding health seeking behavior of health care professionals in tertiary care hospitals in Pakistan. Journal of Ayub Medical College Abbottabad 28(3):545-9.
19. Babatunde OA, Fadare JO, Ojo OJ, Durowade KA, Atoyebi OA, Ajayi PO, Olaniyan T (2016). Self-medication among health workers in a tertiary institution in South-West Nigeria. The Pan African Medical Journal 24.
20. Ali AN, Kai JTTK, Keat CC, Dhanaraj SA (2012). Self-medication practices among health care professionals in a private university, Malaysia.
International Current Pharmaceutical Journal 1(10):302-310.
21. Osamor PE, Owumi BE (2010). Complementary and alternative medicine in the management of hypertension in an urban Nigerian community. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 10:1-9.
22. ElOlemy AT, Radwan NM, Dawood W, Ali I, Fouda LM (2018). Complementary and alternative medicine use among health workers in Mid-Delta, Egypt. Majmaah Journal Health Sciences. 1(2):35-35.
23. Wada AS, Jatau AI, Bala AA, Haruna A, Isa AM, Safiyya AS, Sha'aban A (2019). Use of traditional medicines among pharmacists in Nigeria. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 35:53-56.
24. Omotowo IB, Ndibuagu EO, Ezeoke U (2016). Cigarette smoking and attitudes concerning its control among healthcare workers in Enugu, South- East Nigeria. Health 8(11):1049.
25. Bandele EO, Osadiaye JA (1987). Attitudes and smoking habits of physicians at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. Journal of the National Medical Association 79(4):430-2.
26. Huriah T, Rahman A (2021). Smoking behavior on health workers in Indonesia: A phenomenological study. In: 4th International Conference on Sustainable Innovation 2020-Health Science and Nursing (ICoSIHSN 2020). Available at: https://www.atlantis-press.com/proceedings/icosihsn-20/125951161. Accessed May 25, 2023.
27. Saglam L, Bayraktar R, Kadioglu EE, Acemoglu H (2010). Smoking prevalence and the degree of nicotine dependence among healthcare workers at the Ataturk University Medical Facility. The Eurasian Journal of Medicine 42(2):74.
28. Obadeji A, Oluwole L, Dada M, Oshatimi M (2018). Alcohol use and psychological wellbeing of health workers in a Nigerian hospital: An exploratory study. Malawi Medical Journal 30(1):31-36.
29. Banwat ME, Haruna SA, Vongdip NG, Duru AK, Afolaranmi TO (2020). Assessment of the nutritional knowledge, eating habits, and nutritional statuses of healthcare workers in Jos, North-Central Nigeria. Research Journal of Food Science and Nutrition 3(2):15-22.
30. Kunene SH, Taukobong NP (2017). Dietary habits among health professionals working in a district hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. African Journal of Primary Health Care and Family Medicine 9(1):1-5.
31. Karppanen H, Mervaala E (2006). Sodium intake and hypertension. Progress Cardiovascular Diseases 49(2):59-75.
32. Appel LJ, Brands MW, Daniels SR, Karanja N, Elmer PJ, Sacks FM; American Heart Association (2006). Dietary approaches to prevent and treat hypertension: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Hypertension 47(2):296-308.
33. Adaja TM, Idemudia JO (2018). Metabolic syndrome among healthcare workers in a tertiary hospital in South-South, Nigeria. Asian Journal of Medicine and Health 16(3):1-8.
34. Olaitan OO, Olanrewaju OI, Akinmoladun FO, Fadupin GT (2020). Central obesity and stress-predisposing factors to hypertension among healthworkers in Jos University Teaching Hospital, Plateau State, Nigeria. Current Research in Diabetes & Obesity Journal 12(4):111-6.
35. Aladeniyi I, Adeniyi OV, Fawole O, Adeolu M, Ter Goon D, Ajayi AI, Owolabi EO (2017). Pattern and correlates of obesity among public service workers in Ondo State, Nigeria: A cross-sectional study. South African Family Practise, 59(6):195-200.
36. Iwuala SO, Sekoni AO, Olamoyegun MA, Akanbi MA, Sabir AA, Ayankogbe OO (2015). Self-reported physical activity among health care professionals in South West Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice 18(6):790-5.
37. Fritz T, Wändell P, Aberg H, Engfeldt P (2005). Walking for exercise-does three times per week influence risk factors in type 2 diabetes? Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice 68(3):213-219.
38. World Health Organization (2009). Preventing chronic diseases: A vital investment: WHO Global Report. Available at:
https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/43314/9241563001_eng.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y. Accessed June 29, 2023. World Health
Organization, Geneva Switzerland.
39. Agwu MO, Tiemo JA (2012). Problems and prospects of stress management in the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas construction project Bonny. Journal of Emerging Trends in Economics and Management Sciences 3(3):266-271.
40. Hardy S, Carson J, Thomas BL (1998). Occupational stress: Personal and Professional Approaches. 1st Edition. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes.
41. Wang Q, Collet JP, Liu W, Lang X, Feng D, Ding F, Huang S (2023). Work-related stress and stress management practice among Chinese hospital staff working night shifts: A mixed-methods study. International Journal of Stress Management.
42. Sharma P, Davey A, Davey S, Shukla A, Shrivastava K, Bansal R (2014). Occupational stress among staff nurses: Controlling the risk to health. Indian Journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine 18(2):52.
43. Markus R, Ugochukwu C, Umar S, Haruna JJ, Haruna H (2022). Knowledge, attitude and uptake of COVID-19 vaccine among health care workers of University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. AHRO Reviews of Nursing & Midwifery 1(1). Available at:
https://www.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.36295/ARNM/2022/7600. Accessed May 13, 2023.
44. Ogoina DI, Pondei K, Adetunji B, Chima G, Isichei C, Gidado S (2014). Prevalence of hepatitis B vaccination among health care workers in Nigeria in 2011-12. The International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 5(1):51.
45. Omotowo IB, Ndibuagu EO, Ezeoke U (2016). Cigarette smoking and attitudes concerning its control among healthcare workers in Enugu, south- east, Nigeria. Health. 8(11):1049.
46. Fatusi AO, Fatusi OA, Esimai AO, Onayade AA, Ojo OS (2000). Acceptance of hepatitis B vaccine by workers in a Nigerian teaching hospital. East African Medical Journal 77 (11) :608 - 612. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12862107/. Accessed June 17, 2023.
47. Desmennu A, Ife-Ajayi OT, Arulogun O (2018). Experience and satisfaction with institutionalised medical check-up: case study of the staff of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. African Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences 47:355-363.
48. Nasir K, Khan KA, Kadri WM, Salim S, Tufail K, Sheikh HZ, Ali SA (2000). Hepatitis B vaccination among health care workers and students of a medical college. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association 50(7):239-43.
49. Peterson CJ, Lee B, Nugent K (2022). COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy among healthcare workers-a review. Vaccines 10(6):948.
50. Iliyasu Z, Umar AA, Abdullahi HM, Kwaku AA, Amole TG, Tsiga-Ahmed FI, Garba RM, Salihu HM, Aliyu MH (2021). They have produced a vaccine, but we doubt if COVID-19 exists: correlates of COVID-19 vaccine acceptability among adults in Kano, Nigeria. Human Vaccines and
Immunotherapeutics 17(11):4057-4064. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8828136/. Accessed June 7, 2023.