Implications of the Under-Utilization of Health Facilities among Female Rural Dwellers in Southwest Nigeria

The connection between the health of a population and development is multifaceted. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 advocates the promotion of a healthy life and well-being for all humans of all ages. This implies that good health is intrinsic to the actualization of the SDGs and rural development. It utilizes the Protection Motivation Theory as a precursor to examining the challenges that impede rural women's visitation to health care facilities for both preventive and curative purposes in southwest Nigeria. The study utilized the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2018 dataset from which variables of interest were extracted. The analysis used only 1566 female individual record files. The data set was analysed using simple percentages and cross-tabulations between the selected independent and dependent variables. Amongst others, the study found that the choice to or not to visit health facilities was more negatively influenced by spousal/partner presence and their living together and various subservient societal patriarchal structures. Socio-economic factors such as wealth index and distance to health facilities did not have significant effect on health facility utilization among women. The study recommended intense advocacy to educate all rural dwellers, including men, about women's health issues to promote women's health and reduce women mortality and morbidity rates, which hamper rural development.