INDIVIDUAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH-SEEKING BEHAVIOR AMONG THE YOUTH AGED 14-18 YEARS ATTENDING KASOZI HEALTH CENTRE III, WAKISO DISTRICT. A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71020/jwhr.v2i1.15Keywords:
Socio-economic determinants, Health-seeking behavior, Youths, Kasozi Health Centre IIIAbstract
Background
Globally, 311,000 people die in lower-income countries due to challenges with health-seeking behaviors whereas 82% of the youths in Uganda do not seek health services even when they need to (Musoke et al., 2014). Statistics from Kasozi Health Center III show that many youths exhibit poor health-seeking behavior, which poses a risk for the youths hence living hazardous behaviors. This study therefore aims at establishing the individual determinants that influence health-seeking behaviors among youths aged 14-18 years at Kasozi Health Centre III, Wakiso District.
Methodology
The study employed a descriptive and cross-sectional study using a quantitative method of data collection. A sample of 30 respondents was selected using a simple random sampling method. Data was collected using a questionnaire, analyzed, and presented in the form of tables, graphs, and pie charts.
Results
The majority (53%) of the participants reported that they were aware of services provided at a health facility. The majority, 10(33%) reported community health workers as the source of information about health services offered at the health care facility and 16 (53%) agreed that the health care services provided in health facilities were entirely free.
Conclusion
The majority of the participants had good knowledge of a health facility. They had attained a secondary level of education, sought health services from health care facilities, reported community health workers as the source of information about health services offered at the health care facility, and agreed that the health care services provided in health facilities were entirely free.
Recommendation
Youths should often be encouraged to seek health care at the health facility and they should be given a conducive atmosphere to open up.
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