Author: Edward Frimpong
Master of Art Sociology
College of Art & Social Sciences, KNUST Ghana
Email: frimedward@yahoo.com
Problem Study
The absence or presence of sicknesses, wounds, or malfunctioning in the general condition of human mind or body is important to every individual and therefore concerns all nations. Due to this previous knowledge, everybody seeks for health care when sick. But what informs people to decide on the type and source of health care poses greater challenge to most individuals. A consistent finding is that, for certain sicknesses, individuals are likely to choose traditional healers, village homeopaths, or untrained allopathic doctors above professionally trained practitioners in state health facilities (Ahmed et al, 2001). They thus have a difficulty in deciding on where to go for treatment. I have lived in Kwabre East District for over twenty (20) years and having worked with National Health Insurance Scheme since 2004, I have come to realise that most people face difficulties in deciding on where to access health care. The situation became clearer with the advent of capitation in 2012. Many people after having selected preferred primary care providers (PPP), change such providers before or on the sixth month. Others who also have valid National Health Insurance Cards do not often access health care from biomedical view point (e.g. hospitals and health centres). They go to traditional healers, faith healers, and native doctors. This situation is similar to what Anderson and Taylor (2009) observed in colonial times that competitors in the healing arts consisted of herbal practitioners, religious healers, and sometimes barbers. They combined various forms of therapies in their attempts to healing the sick. Such therapies were tried-and-true regimens, folk wisdom, and superstition. According to Cockerham (2007:173), “Little Sociological research has been conducted on these phenomena” Laar et al. (2013) emphasised Cockerham’s view and said that studies pertaining to knowledge, attitudes and practices on … health seeking behaviour had not received much attention in Ghana. Apart from the stated reason, the district has been chosen because of its unique characteristics of having urban, semi-urban, and rural dwellers. It exhibits trade forms such as handicraft, kente, farmers, administrators, and petty/middle income traders. It also has various health seeking centres. Hence, it can be said that people in the study area have a difficulty in decision making regarding health seeking. This study sought to find out what informed people’s decision to access one type of healthcare or the other.
Keywords: Health Seeking Behaviour, Health Management
