APPRAISING THE BENEFITS OF MATERNAL AND CHILD CARE AS A COMPONENT OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE PROGRAMME TO RURAL WOMEN IN SOUTH EAST NIGERIA

Abstract

This study determined the benefits of maternal and child care as a component of Primary Health Care to rural women in South East Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. A sample of 395 respondents comprising 226 young and 169 middle-aged rural women drawn through multi-staged sampling technique from a population of 34, 859 rural women in the South East participated in the study. The sample size was determined using the Taro Yamene sampling formula. The instrument for data collection was a researcher designed 16-item questionnaire titled Rural Women’s Benefit in Maternal and Child Care Questionnaire (RWBMCCQ). The instrument was validated by three experts. Cronbach Alpha reliability method was used to determine the internal consistency of the instrument which yielded 0.87 coefficients. Out of 395 copies of the questionnaire administered, 376 copies (95%) were used for data analysis. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the three research questions raised.The findings showed among others that the benefits of maternal and child care component of PHC to rural women in South East Nigeria include; antenatal visits, taking baby to health centers when sick, use of oral rehydration therapy, non patronage of traditional birth attendants and immunization of children against killer diseases. The study therefore recommended among others that School authorities in collaboration with health extension agents should as part of their social corporate responsibilities organize seminars for rural women within the school locality on the benefits of maternal and child care programmes.