FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LOW CONFIDENCE IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SERVICES AMONG COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN OLUKU

This study, titled “Factors Responsible for the Low Confidence in Primary Health Care Services Among Community Members in Oluku,” was conducted to assess the perceptions of residents regarding service quality, resource availability, staff behaviour, accessibility, and affordability of PHC services. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design and targeted 24,523 residents of Oluku community. Using Taro Yamane’s formula, a sample of 394 respondents was selected. A structured questionnaire titled Community Confidence in Primary Health Care Services Questionnaire (CCPHCSQ) served as the main instrument for data collection. The instrument was validated by experts, and its reliability was confirmed using Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.82, indicating high reliability. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Findings revealed that respondents had a fair perception of service quality, inadequate availability of resources, positive staff behaviour, and good accessibility and affordability of services. The study concluded that low confidence in PHC services largely stems from resource inadequacy and operational inefficiencies. It
recommended improved resource provision, staff training, better management of service delivery time, and strengthened community engagement to enhance confidence and utilisation of PHC services in Oluku