A comparison of referrals among primary health-care workers in urban and rural local government areas in North-Western Nigeria

Sunday Asuke; Muhammed Sani Ibrahim; Kabir Sabitu; Agnes Uregwu Asuke; Isaac Ileren Igbaver; Sunday Joseph

doi:10.4103/2276-7096.192233

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Year : 2016 | Volume : 18 | Issue : 2 | Page : 93-97

A comparison of referrals among primary health-care workers in urban and rural local government areas in North-Western Nigeria

Sunday Asuke¹, Muhammed Sani Ibrahim², Kabir Sabitu², Agnes Uregwu Asuke³, Isaac Ileren Igbaver⁴, Sunday Joseph²
¹ Department of Community Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Bingham University, Karu, Nasarawa State, Asokoro, Abuja, Nigeria
² Department of Community Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Asokoro, Abuja, Nigeria
³ Department of Microbiology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Asokoro, Abuja, Nigeria
⁴ African Field Epidemiology Network, Asokoro, Abuja, Nigeria

Correspondence Address:
Sunday Asuke
Department of Community Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Bingham University, Karu, Nasarawa State
Nigeria

Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None

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DOI: 10.4103/2276-7096.192233

Introduction: In Nigeria, the three tiers of health-care service are linked through the referral system and primary health care (PHCs) are an entry point into this health-care service. Effectiveness of referral system is a strong determinant of the strength of health-care service delivery. This study was conducted to assess and compare knowledge and practice of referral among PHC workers in urban and rural health facilities in two local government areas (LGAs) in Kaduna State. Methodology: The study was comparative cross-sectional. It enrolled all eligible PHC workers in the study areas; seventy in urban and 69 in rural LGAs. Data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire containing close-ended questions. Results: Majority of the health workers in both LGAs were in the age range 25-34 years. Only 16 (22.9%) of those in urban and 13 (21.0%) in rural PHCs had good knowledge of referral (P = 0.594). In addition, only 9 (12.9%) in urban and 7 (11.3%) in rural PHCs had good practice of referral (P = 0.595). Conclusion: Knowledge and practice of referral were poor in both urban and rural PHCs. There is an urgent need for training on referral and other forms of intervention such as instituting a referral focal person to improve practice of referral among the health workers in both rural and urban PHCs.

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