ASSESSMENT OF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH INFORMATION NEEDS AMONG RURAL WOMEN IN AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The paper assessed the reproductive health information needs among rural women in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. A total sample size of 240 rural women were selected from the rural communities in the state. Data were collected with the use of questionnaire and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The main reproductive health information needs of the women were: Information on Antenatal care (x=3.78), Personal hygiene and nutrition (x=3.77),use of contraception, family planning (x=3.07), prevention and treatment of Malaria (x=2.65), prevention and control of sexually transmitted diseases (x=2.59), and Child delivery (x=2.52). There was a high level of use of reproductive health information in the study area. However, high illiteracy rate (x=2.80), poverty and low socio-economic status (x=2.78), much of the information appears strange to rural dwellers (x=2.76), and lack of power supply to access electronic information from radio, TV and Internet (x=2.74 were the most serious constraints limiting rural women in utilizing reproductive health. Multiple regression estimate showed that religion at p<0.01, education at p<0.01, parity at p<0.01, income at p<0.01, and employment status at p<0.05, were the variables that determined the use of reproductive health information. The study recommended    that, Government should repackage reproductive health-care information in appropriate forms suitable for rural communities. Again, reproductive health-care programmes should be expanded and intensified along with culturally appropriate education campaigns and the focus should be on attracting women with little or no education.