%0 Journal Article
%T Health Seeking Behaviours of Patients Attending Primary Eye Care Centre in Nigeria
%A Emmanuel Olu Megbelayin
%A Yewande Olubunmi Babalola
%J Open Access Library Journal
%V 2
%N 5
%P 1-8
%@ 2333-9721
%D 2015
%I Open Access Library
%R 10.4236/oalib.1101489
%X Purpose: To
determine health seeking behaviour in relation to non-orthodox eye medication
use among patients attending a primary eye health center in Nigeria. Materials
and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study of consecutive respondents.
Participants¡¯ socio-demographic profile, types and pattern of harmful
traditional eye medications (HTEMs) use were obtained using a pre-tested
questionnaire. Data analysis was by SPSS version 20.0. Results: Of the 303
patients enrolled in the study, 153 (50.5%) were males and 150 (49.5%) were
females. The age range was from 13 years old to 94 years old with a mean of
53.8 ¡À 17.05 years old. Majority of the subjects (74.3%) used orthodox medical
outfits for their eye care needs. The prevalence of use of HTEMs was 11.9%.
Common forms of TEMs used were herbs 24 (66.7%), sugar water 3 (8.3%), breast
milk 3 (8.3%) and onions 6 (16.7%). There was statistically significant association
between age and use of HTEMs (<i>p</i> = 604.27,<span>&nbsp;<em style="white-space:normal;">X</em><sup style="white-space:normal;">2</sup></span>=&lt;
0.001, 95% CI = 0.000 - 0.010), and health seeking behaviour (<i>p</i> = 808.70, <em>X</em><sup>2</sup>=&lt; 0.001, 95% CI = 0.000 - 0.010). Conclusion:
Eye care providers and health care managers must have good knowledge of the
various factors that negatively influence utilization of eye care services and
be responsive to them.
%K HTEMs
%K Chemists
%K Hospital
%K Behaviours
%U http://www.oalib.com/paper/3144958