DETERMINANTS OF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SEEKING BEHAVIOUR AMONG WOWEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE IN AJAOKUTA VILLAGE, KOGI STATE

Women of reproductive age play a pivotal role in ensuring the continuity of the society, yet, they are faced with high risks of complications and even death in the course of performing this role. The study examined the determinants of reproductive health-seeking behaviour among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in Ajaokuta village. The Behavioural Model of Health Service Use was adopted as a theoretical framework of the study. A self-administered open-and closed-ended structured questionnaire was used as instrument of data collection. A descriptive survey was carried out among 156 respondents using the multi-stage sampling technique. Frequency distribution tables and percentage were used to analyze the data. The respondents had the knowledge of reproductive health service, seeks reproductive health care services but the traditional and the faith-based care services. Family influence, educational qualification, inadequate healthcare services, access to health care service, lack of quality services, inadequate health workers, attitudes of health workers, cost of services, lack of confidentiality, waiting period to access care and volume of patients awaiting treatments were the determining factors found by the study. More awareness centered on the benefits of orthodox services utilization, minimal family interference, education of women, availability of quality and accessible reproductive health services, adequate health workers with good attitudes, affordability of healthcare services, strict confidentiality, urgent attention to avoid large number of patients  awaiting care services were the recommendations provided by the study Keywords: Ajaokuta Village, Maternal Morbidity, Maternal Mortality, Reproductive Health, Reproductive Health Seeking Behaviour