SOCIAL FACTORS AFFECTING MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN ENUGU EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Maternal and child health care services involve the care given to a woman during pregnancy and after birth as well as her child. This study scrutinized social factors affecting maternal and child health care services in Enugu East Local Government Area, Enugu State, Nigeria. The theoretical framework for the study is symbolic interactionist theory. Cross sectional survey design was adopted. The study participants were mothers of child bearing age (15-49) residents of Enugu East Local Government Area. The sample size was 400 respondents. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used in the study. The major instruments of data collection used were questionnaire and In Depth Interviews (IDI) guide. Quantitative data were processed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and analyzed using percentages and frequency distribution tables. Qualitative data were provided from the transcription of the electronic recorded interview and field notes and analyzed using manual thematic content analysis technique. Findings of the study indicate that there is adequate provision and underutilization of maternal and child health care services in Enugu East Local Government Area. It also found some social factors affecting maternal and child health care services such as: income, accessibility/availability, education, place of residence, employment and gender inequality. The study recommends that accessibility/availability of health care services should be ensured by the government and nongovernmental organizations. The free maternal and child health care policy established by government should be properly implemented to be effective in all the communities (both urban and rural).