REGIONAL DIFFERENCES IN WOMEN’S AUTONOMY AND HEALTH-SEEKING BEHAVIOR (HSB) FOR UNDER-5 CHILDREN IN NIGERIA

ABIOLA EHINFUN, Self-employed
Ayo Adebowale, University of Ibadan

Background: In Nigeria, more women report barriers to accessing care while children from low-income families who receive advice or treatment for ARI, diarrhea, and fever are few. Exploring factors militating against Mothers' agency over healthcare decisions for under five children at regional levels are fewer in Nigeria. Objectives: we examined the regional differences in health seeking behaviors HSB with Women’s Autonomy. Methods: 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey dataset was utilized, focus was on women of reproductive ages (n=6713) with living children who are married or living with a partner. Data were analyzed at bivariate and multivariate levels (a = 0.05). Results: North East (62.1%) had the lowest HSB, while South-South was highest (78.7%). Significant regional differences in Women’s Autonomy, Educational attainment, media exposure, place of residence, wealth status, Islamic religion, and being of Hausa/Fulani ethnicity were particularly influential in the North, whereas WA, residence, wealth status and media exposure were crucial in the South in HSB. Conclusions: we found significant regional differences in the relationship between women's autonomy and healthcare-seeking behaviors for under five children in Nigeria. Enhancing women's education, economic empowerment, and health awareness can improve healthcare access. Keywords: Healthcare-seeking behavior, women's autonomy, under-five children, Nigeria.

Keywords: Children, Adolescents, and Youth, Health and Morbidity, Data and Methods, Population and Development

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