Abstract
This hospital based study aimed to seek information on the factors influencing non-doctor consultation practices in South West Nigeria. A high prevalence of such practices and the attendant public health significance have been reported in different regions of the world, yet studies related to this are generally lacking in this region. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered to 142 ophthalmic patients presenting newly to the out-patient unit of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria. Information were obtained on demographic data, health care facilities visited before presenting to the eye clinic, drugs prescribed, and reasons for consulting such facilities. The age of the participants ranged from 16 to 85 years with a mean of 44.79 years (SD 17.25 years). 32 (22.5%) of these had not used any pre-visit consultation. 110 (77.5%) had consulted one form of health care provider or the other, with only 48 of them (43.6%) having consulted allopathic doctors. 62 (56.4%) had consulted alternative practitioners. Thus 43.7% of the patients practiced non-doctor consultation. The main reasons given for engaging in non-doctor consultation are ‘problem not serious’ (25.8%), ‘no nearby hospital’ (25.8%), and ‘to save time’ (21.0%). Non-doctor consultation practices are prevalent in South
West Nigeria as in many other developing regions of the world. Ignorance and inadequate health care providers contribute a great deal to this. Increased public enlightenment, making health care services available and accessible to the populace and stricter government policies on drug dispensing will go a long way in reducing these practices.
Keywords: Consultation, non-doctor, ophthalmic, patients, pre-hospital, Nigeria
Résumé
Cette étude avait pour but de rechercher des informations sur les facteurs influençant la non-consultation des médecins pratiquants au sud Ouest du Nigeria. Une forte prévalence de telles pratiques et l’importance sur la sante publique a été reporte dans différentes régions du monde. Actuellement, des études reliées, sont généralement en manque dans cette région. Des questionnaires semi structures étaient administres à 142 patients externes du Centre hospitalier universitaire de technologie de Ladoke Akintola, Osogbo dans l’état d’Osun, Nigeria. Les informations étaient obtenues en données démographiques, les facilités de soins de santé visité avant, présentant à la clinique des yeux, des médicaments prescrit et des raisons pour lesquelles il faut consulter de telles facilités. La tranche d’âge des participants était de 16 à 85 ans avec une moyenne de 44.79 ans (SD 17.25 ans) 32 (22,5%) n’avaient pas de visite au paravent. 110(77.5%) avaient une consultation chez un personnel de sante autres et seulement 48(43.6%) ayant eu des consultations chez les médecins allopathiques.62 (56.4%) avaient été consultes par des personnel de sante alternatif, donc 43.7% des patients ne consultaient pas des médecins ayant pour raisons un manque de sérieux du patient (25.8%), pas d’hôpital proche(25.8%) et un service rapide(21.0%).les pratiques non conventionnelles sont prévalences au sud ouest du Nigeria comme dans d’autres pays sous développés, l’ignorance les soins de sante inadéquates contribuent a ce fléau. Des campagnes de sensibilisation, des soins de sante disponibles au population et une politique gouvernementale sur la distribution et la prescription des médicaments sont recommandés.
Correspondence: Dr. O. Fasina, Department of Ophthalmology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. Email: yemifash2000@gmail.com
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