AWARENESS AND UTILIZATION OF INFORMATION BY PREGNANT WOMEN ON MATERNAL HEALTH CARE DELIVERY IN KADUNA STATE

Abstract

This study investigated awareness and utilization of information by pregnant women on maternal health care service delivery in Kaduna State. Three (3) research questions were formulated and answered concerning the type of information needed by pregnant women; level of awareness of information for maternal health care service among pregnant women and how pregnant women access information resources on maternal health care service in Kaduna State. The survey research method was used for this study. The population of the study consisted of pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in the 30 General Hospitals across 23 Local government areas in Kaduna State. A proportionate stratified random sampling technique was used to select a sample of nine General Hospitals with 262 registered pregnant women. A questionnaire was used to collect data for this study. The data collected were presented and analyzed using Frequency distribution tables, percentages, and histograms. The study reveals that information on general health education; trimester, nutrition, hygiene, child delivery, signs and symptoms of labor, and breastfeeding were the types of information needed by pregnant women in Kaduna State. It was also discovered that friends, spouses, radio, and relatives were the types of media used for creating awareness about information on maternal health care services in Kaduna State. This study concludes that access to information on maternal health care service delivery among pregnant women in Kaduna State could be a thing of the past if only stringent efforts are made to engage all relevant information professionals, including librarians to design a model that will serve as a framework for information awareness and utilization of information on maternal health care service delivery.