IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY AT HARD TO REACH COMMUNITIES IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract: The National Population Commission (2017) had indicated increasing growth in the population of Rivers State from 5,198,716 in 2006 to 7,034,973 in 2017. According to the commission two third of the total population dwell in the hard to reach areas ,and most of the community members hardly interface with health care workers throughout the year. The health care delivery system therefore direly need the support of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the health care facilities and in the rural communities and hard to reach remote areas in order to bring health care delivery to vulnerable dwellers .Information and Communication Technology at hard to reach communities in Rivers state was an important health support system to the health care needs of people living in distant areas, oceanic communities, and hard to reach areas in providing health care pathways or providing best evidence-based care when users are at distant places or location. The level of neglect on the people living in these areas had been gross; uncountable numbers had suffered morbidity; while others had suffered mortality. To carry out the research, 353 respondents were drawn from health institutions through systematic random sampling procedure in Rivers state through the instrumentation of Yaro Yamen’s sampling procedure. The data obtained from the respondents were measured, and analyzed using various parameters. The descriptive research design was used through a structured questionnaire. Various measurement variables were used to test the validity, reliability and consistency of the instruments such as the face, and content validity; percentages, mean and the measure of variability; and the Likert’s Response scale were applied to test the consistency. Studies found out that the level of application of ICT to the communities by governmental agencies, cooperate bodies, and Non –Governmental bodies on tele-health performance had been low. The study had increased the awareness level of stakeholders, the government, private investors, individuals and the level of preparedness to fund the capacities and competencies of health care workers within its specified scope and achievable time frame had been enhanced. Keywords: ICT; assessment, application, reliability, healthcare systems, tele-health, Performance. Title: IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY AT HARD TO REACH COMMUNITIES IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA Author: AMACHREE KUNOMATE MAC-JAJA, OZIMS, STANLEY JAMES, EBERENDU, IZUCHUKWU.F, AMACHREE, EVANGELINE U International Journal of Novel Research in Healthcare and Nursing ISSN 2394-7330 Vol. 10, Issue 1, January 2023 - April 2023 Page No: 43-50 Novelty Journals Website: www.noveltyjournals.com Published Date: 25-January-2023 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7568051 Paper Download Link (Source) https://www.noveltyjournals.com/upload/paper/IMPACT%20OF%20INFORMATION-25012023-1.pdfInternational Journal of Novel Research in Healthcare and Nursing, ISSN 2394-7330, Novelty Journals, Website: www.noveltyjournals.co