THE PERCEPTION AND FACTORS INFLUENCING THE UTILIZATION OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES AMONG STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BENIN, EDO STATE.

This study was designed to examine the examine the perception and factors influencing the utilization of healthcare Services among students of the University of Benin, Edo State. To guide this study, three research questions were raised. The survey research design was used in conducting the study. The main instrument employed to carry out this study was a self-structured questionnaire. The population of the study was 240. The validity of the instrument was established by giving it to the supervisor and two other experts in the field of the research study. The reliability of the instrument was established using the test-retest method of reliability which yielded a Coefficient of 0.780. The data obtained from the questionnaires were subjected to analysis using frequency counts and percentages. Results from the study from 240 respondents showed that that the perceptions of the utilization of healthcare services among students of the University of Benin includes; doubts about the equipment available in the healthcare facilities, doctors being unpleasant and unfriendly, inadequate staffs in the health centers and the scare of going to the health care centers due to the stories heard about the negligence of the doctors and nurses, also it revealed that certain factors influence the utilization of healthcare services among students of the University of Benin. These factors includes; the availability of the doctors, lengthy cue at the health center, poor quality of treatment receive from previous visits and lack of drugs. At the end of the study, it was recommended that adequate provision of healthcare personnels should be provided to reduce the cue at the health facilities, drugs should be provided for easy reach to reduce the reluctance in going to the pharmacy to buy drugs after being prescribed at the health facility, the school healthcare providers should be friendly, medical appointments should be scheduled for students in order to cater and attend to students properly and students should be guided properly in order to see the need to take control and management of their health.