Project – Influence of Health Education on the Utilisation of Primary Healthcare Services among Women of Reproductive Age: A Study of Selected Primary Healthcare Centres in Ikorodu Local Government Area, Lagos State

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Primary healthcare (PHC) constitutes the foundation of an effective health system because it provides individuals and communities with accessible, affordable and essential healthcare close to where they live. The concept of primary healthcare gained international prominence following the 1978 Alma-Ata Declaration, which identified primary healthcare as a central mechanism for achieving health for all. More recently, the 2018 Astana Declaration reaffirmed primary healthcare as the foundation for universal health coverage and emphasised integrated, people-centred and community-based health services. In contemporary health systems, PHC is therefore not simply the lowest level of healthcare but a strategic platform through which preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative services can be delivered to populations.

The importance of PHC is particularly evident in relation to women’s health. Women of reproductive age, commonly defined as women aged 15–49 years, have diverse health needs spanning adolescence, contraception, fertility, pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum care, prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, screening and other general health services. The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasises that sexual and reproductive health is a fundamental component of universal health coverage and that many reproductive-health services can be delivered effectively through primary healthcare systems.

For women of reproductive age, appropriate utilisation of PHC services can contribute substantially to disease prevention, early diagnosis, safe motherhood, family planning, child survival and improved quality of life. PHC facilities are often the first point of contact between women and the formal health system. They can provide antenatal care, postnatal care, immunisation, family planning, health education, screening, treatment of common illnesses and referrals for conditions requiring higher-level care. WHO identifies these services as important components of comprehensive sexual and reproductive healthcare.

The significance of women’s utilisation of healthcare services extends beyond individual health. Women’s health is closely connected with family welfare, child health, household productivity and community development. When women receive appropriate preventive and reproductive healthcare, health problems can be detected earlier and managed before they become severe. Conversely, delayed or inadequate utilisation can allow preventable conditions to progress and may increase the need for expensive emergency or specialist care.

Despite the importance of PHC, utilisation remains a major challenge in many low- and middle-income countries, including Nigeria. Nigeria has a large network of PHC facilities, but the existence of facilities does not necessarily mean that services are adequately utilised. The African Health Observatory Platform’s recent Nigeria Health Systems and Services Profile describes PHC as the weakest level of healthcare delivery in the country and reports persistent limitations in essential health-service coverage and the availability of facilities capable of providing the basic package of essential services.

This situation creates an important public-health question: why do individuals who have access to primary healthcare facilities sometimes fail to utilise them? Utilisation is influenced by a combination of individual, social, economic, cultural, geographic and health-system factors. These include knowledge of available services, perceptions of illness, perceived benefits of professional care, cost, distance, waiting time, quality of services, availability of drugs, attitude of healthcare workers, cultural beliefs and previous experiences with healthcare facilities.

Among these factors, health education occupies an important position. Health education is the process of providing individuals and communities with relevant information and developing knowledge, attitudes, skills and motivation that can support healthier decisions and behaviours. Health education is not simply the transmission of information. Effective health education should enable individuals to understand health risks, recognise the benefits of preventive and curative services, overcome misconceptions and make informed decisions concerning healthcare utilisation.

Health education can influence healthcare utilisation through several mechanisms. First, it can increase awareness of available services. A woman who does not know that a nearby PHC provides family planning, antenatal care, immunisation or screening may be less likely to use the facility. Second, health education can improve knowledge of the benefits of early healthcare utilisation. Third, it can address misconceptions and fears concerning medical procedures and treatments. Fourth, health education can empower women to make informed decisions about their own health.

The potential relationship between health education and service utilisation is particularly important in reproductive health. Women may delay seeking care because they perceive certain health problems as normal, minor or unsuitable for professional treatment. For example, a woman may not attend a PHC for family planning because of misconceptions about infertility, side effects or cultural expectations. Another may fail to attend antenatal care early because she believes that healthcare is necessary only when pregnancy complications occur. Appropriate health education can challenge such misconceptions.

Health education can also promote preventive healthcare. Primary healthcare is designed to place considerable emphasis on prevention rather than waiting until illness becomes severe. Women who understand the importance of screening, immunisation, contraception, antenatal care, postnatal care and early treatment may be more likely to utilise these services. In this sense, health education can transform healthcare utilisation from a reactive response to illness into a proactive component of healthy living.

The importance of health education is consistent with WHO’s approach to sexual and reproductive health. WHO identifies education and access to information as integral to sexual and reproductive health and stresses that women should be able to obtain the information and services necessary to make informed decisions about their reproductive lives.

The relationship between knowledge and healthcare utilisation is nevertheless complex. Possessing health information does not automatically guarantee service utilisation. A woman may know that antenatal care is beneficial but fail to attend because of transportation costs. She may know about family planning but avoid a PHC because of fear of side effects. She may understand the importance of early treatment but choose self-medication because she has had an unsatisfactory experience at a health facility. Consequently, health education may be necessary but not sufficient for improving utilisation.

This distinction is important in Nigeria because several barriers operate simultaneously. Studies of women’s use of PHC services have identified factors including distance, cost, perceived quality of care, educational level and social characteristics. For example, a study among women of reproductive age in rural Nigeria found that utilisation of PHCs for antenatal and delivery care was affected by perceptions concerning distance, service costs and quality. Such evidence suggests that improving utilisation requires attention to both demand-side and supply-side factors.

The Nigerian healthcare system also faces broader challenges concerning the quality and availability of PHC services. WHO’s 2024 country case study on Nigeria notes that the country’s PHC system has important strengths but also significant structural and operational challenges. The study examines PHC within the broader framework of integrated health services, multisectoral action, and people and communities.

Within this environment, health education may serve as an important bridge between health services and the population. A health facility can provide quality services, but the potential benefit may remain unrealised if community members are unaware of the services, do not understand their importance or have misconceptions concerning them. Conversely, effective health education can create demand for services and encourage women to establish regular contact with PHC providers.

Women of reproductive age are particularly important because their health needs are diverse and continuous. Unlike healthcare interventions focused only on pregnancy, reproductive-health services are needed before conception, during pregnancy and after childbirth, as well as during periods when women are preventing or spacing pregnancies. WHO therefore promotes comprehensive reproductive healthcare through PHC rather than a fragmented approach focused exclusively on maternal care.

Family planning represents one of the major services that can be provided at PHC level. Access to accurate information and quality contraceptive services allows women and couples to determine the number and spacing of their children. WHO notes that unmet need for contraception remains substantial globally and identifies barriers including fear of side effects, limited access and choice, cultural or religious opposition and poor service quality. Health education can help address some of these barriers by providing accurate information about contraceptive methods and correcting misconceptions.

Maternal healthcare is another major area in which health education may influence utilisation. Women need information concerning the importance of early antenatal registration, recommended ANC contacts, danger signs in pregnancy, skilled delivery, postnatal care and appropriate referral. Effective health education can help women recognise the benefits of these services and understand when professional healthcare is necessary.

Child-health services also benefit from women’s utilisation of PHCs. In many households, women are major decision-makers and caregivers for children. Their knowledge of immunisation, nutrition, childhood illnesses and preventive healthcare can influence whether children receive timely services. Consequently, improving women’s knowledge and utilisation of PHCs can have intergenerational health implications.

The issue is particularly relevant in Lagos State. Lagos is highly urbanised and has a large and heterogeneous population. The state contains formal healthcare institutions alongside numerous public and private primary healthcare facilities. The proximity of healthcare facilities in an urban environment does not necessarily guarantee their utilisation because women may select among multiple providers based on perceived quality, convenience, cost and previous experiences.

Ikorodu Local Government Area (LGA) presents an important setting for examining these issues. Ikorodu is one of the major local government areas of Lagos State and has experienced considerable population growth and urban expansion. The area contains communities with different socioeconomic characteristics, creating a useful setting for examining factors that influence healthcare utilisation.

Recent research provides direct evidence that maternal healthcare utilisation remains an important issue in Lagos State. A 2024/2025 study involving 453 women of reproductive age in Lagos assessed patterns and predictors of maternal healthcare utilisation and found that utilisation was associated with several sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics. The study also demonstrated the continuing relevance of examining healthcare-facility utilisation among women in Lagos.

The Lagos study is particularly relevant because it demonstrates that healthcare utilisation is not determined by the mere availability of services. Among the women studied, only a small proportion were enrolled in health insurance, while socioeconomic characteristics varied substantially. These findings support the need to investigate the factors that encourage or discourage utilisation within specific local settings.

Health education may be particularly valuable in such settings because it can strengthen women’s ability to navigate the healthcare system. Women who understand the services available at PHCs may be better positioned to use them appropriately. Health education can also explain when to seek care, where to seek care and what services are available at different levels of the healthcare system.

The role of healthcare workers is therefore critical. Nurses, community health officers, midwives and other PHC personnel interact directly with women and are well positioned to provide health education. Their interactions can influence women’s knowledge and perceptions of PHC services. Friendly and respectful communication may increase trust, whereas poor communication may discourage future utilisation.

The quality of health education is also important. Information must be accurate, culturally appropriate, understandable and relevant to women’s circumstances. Health education delivered through technical language or without consideration of local beliefs may have limited impact. Effective health education should encourage two-way communication in which women can ask questions, express concerns and clarify misconceptions.

Community-based health education may complement facility-based education. Women who do not regularly attend PHCs may need to be reached through community health workers, women’s groups, religious organisations, markets and other community structures. This can create awareness of services and encourage women to establish contact with PHC facilities before serious illness develops.

The potential importance of health education is supported by empirical evidence from Nigeria. Research examining clinic-based health education among pregnant women in Ogun State reported that an intervention designed to provide information and influence attitudes toward professional maternal care increased participants’ utilisation of PHC facilities for delivery. The intervention group recorded substantially higher utilisation than the control group at follow-up. Although the study focused specifically on pregnant women and delivery services, its findings provide evidence that health education can influence healthcare utilisation in a Nigerian context.

This evidence is important because it suggests that information can do more than increase knowledge; it can potentially change attitudes and actual healthcare behaviour. Nevertheless, the findings cannot automatically be generalised to all women of reproductive age or to Ikorodu LGA. The present study therefore extends the issue to women of reproductive age and focuses on utilisation of selected PHC services in a Lagos State context.

Another important consideration is that utilisation should be understood broadly. It may involve the frequency with which women visit PHCs, the types of services they use, timeliness of seeking care, adherence to recommended follow-up and willingness to return when necessary. A woman who visits a facility only when seriously ill may technically be a user but may not be benefiting from the preventive and promotive functions of PHC.

The distinction between availability and utilisation is therefore critical. A PHC may exist within a community, but women may choose private hospitals, pharmacies, traditional medicine or self-medication instead. The presence of a facility does not necessarily indicate that it is trusted, affordable, accessible or perceived as capable of meeting women’s needs.

Health education can influence these perceptions. Information about the scope and benefits of PHC services may encourage women to consider PHCs as appropriate sources of care. Education can also explain referral processes and help women understand that PHCs can provide first-contact care while referring complicated cases to higher-level facilities.

However, health education must operate alongside adequate service quality. It would be counterproductive to encourage women to use facilities that consistently lack medicines, equipment or qualified personnel. Thus, the relationship between health education and utilisation should be investigated within the actual context of service availability and perceived quality.

Women may also face household and gender-related constraints. Decisions about healthcare expenditure may involve spouses or other family members. Domestic responsibilities, employment and childcare can make it difficult for women to attend facilities during working hours. Health education can increase motivation, but structural constraints may still limit actual utilisation.

Socioeconomic status is another important consideration. Even when PHC services are subsidised or relatively affordable, transport, laboratory tests, medicines and other indirect costs may discourage utilisation. Research in Nigeria has demonstrated that cost and distance can affect women’s use of PHCs.

Cultural beliefs may similarly influence women’s healthcare choices. Some women may prefer informal healthcare providers or traditional remedies for particular conditions. Others may have beliefs about pregnancy, contraception, childbirth or reproductive illnesses that influence whether and when they seek professional care. Health education that respects cultural contexts while providing scientifically accurate information can potentially influence these decisions.

The study is consequently based on the assumption that women are not passive recipients of healthcare. Their decisions concerning healthcare utilisation are shaped by knowledge, perceptions, experiences and circumstances. Health education can empower women by improving their ability to recognise health needs and make informed decisions.

The relationship can also be explained through behavioural theories such as the Health Belief Model, which proposes that health-related behaviour is influenced by perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action and self-efficacy (Rosenstock, Strecher, & Becker, 1988). Health education can serve as a cue to action and can modify perceptions concerning the benefits and barriers associated with healthcare utilisation.

Similarly, the Theory of Planned Behavior suggests that behaviour is influenced by attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control (Ajzen, 1991). Health education may influence attitudes and perceived control by giving women information that helps them understand their options and make decisions concerning healthcare. These theoretical perspectives provide a basis for investigating the relationship between health education and utilisation.

The present study is therefore significant because it focuses specifically on women of reproductive age rather than restricting the investigation to pregnant women. This broader population allows the study to consider a wider range of PHC services, including reproductive health, family planning, preventive care, maternal health, child-health-related services and treatment of common illnesses.

There is also a geographical gap. Although studies have examined maternal healthcare utilisation in Lagos and PHC utilisation in other parts of Nigeria, fewer studies have specifically examined the relationship between health education and utilisation of selected PHC centres in Ikorodu LGA. A localised study can therefore provide evidence that may be more useful for PHC managers and community health planners within the area.

The study will consequently examine whether exposure to health education is associated with greater utilisation of PHC services among women of reproductive age in selected PHC centres in Ikorodu LGA, Lagos State. It will assess the level of health education received, the types of information provided, women’s knowledge and perceptions of PHC services, and their patterns of utilisation.

Ultimately, the study is premised on the view that strengthening PHC utilisation requires more than constructing facilities. Women must know what services are available, understand their benefits, trust the providers and be able to access them. Health education can potentially strengthen this connection between women and primary healthcare services. The study therefore seeks to provide empirical evidence on the extent to which health education influences the utilisation of PHC services among women of reproductive age in Ikorodu LGA.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Primary healthcare is intended to provide accessible and affordable essential healthcare to individuals and communities, yet utilisation of PHC services remains inadequate in many parts of Nigeria. This creates a significant public-health concern because underutilisation of primary healthcare can result in missed opportunities for disease prevention, early diagnosis, reproductive-health counselling, family planning, maternal care and health promotion.

The problem is particularly important for women of reproductive age because they require a broad range of health services throughout their reproductive lives. These include contraception, antenatal care, skilled childbirth, postnatal care, screening, prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections and other preventive and curative services. WHO identifies primary healthcare as a key platform for delivering comprehensive sexual and reproductive healthcare.

Despite the availability of PHC facilities, women may not consistently use them. National and local evidence suggests that utilisation is influenced by factors such as socioeconomic status, education, distance, cost and perceived quality of services. In rural Nigeria, for example, women reported distance, cost and poor quality as important reasons for non-use of PHCs for maternal services.

This situation raises concern about the extent to which women understand the services available to them and the benefits of using those services. A woman who is unaware that a nearby PHC provides family planning, screening, antenatal care or immunisation may seek care elsewhere or may not seek care at all. Similarly, women who do not understand the consequences of delayed treatment may wait until their conditions become severe.

Health education is expected to address some of these problems by providing accurate and understandable information about health risks, available services and appropriate healthcare-seeking behaviours. However, the existence of health-education activities within PHCs does not necessarily mean that women receive adequate information or that such information results in actual service utilisation.

The central problem is therefore the possible gap between health information and healthcare behaviour. Women may have heard about PHC services without understanding their importance. They may know that healthcare facilities exist but may not know when or why they should use them. Others may possess adequate knowledge but fail to utilise services because of perceived barriers, negative experiences or socioeconomic constraints.

The problem is also evident in reproductive healthcare. WHO reports that significant unmet needs for sexual and reproductive health services persist globally and identifies barriers such as limited access, concerns about side effects, cultural or religious opposition and poor quality of services. These barriers can affect whether women seek and continue to use PHC services.

In Lagos State, recent research involving 453 women of reproductive age demonstrated that maternal healthcare utilisation remains influenced by a range of demographic and socioeconomic factors. The study found substantial differences in women’s socioeconomic circumstances and reported low health-insurance coverage among respondents. Such findings suggest that simply providing healthcare facilities may not be enough to guarantee utilisation.

Ikorodu LGA presents a particularly relevant setting for investigating this problem because of its expanding population and diverse communities. Women living within the same local government area may have different levels of education, income, health knowledge and access to information. They may also have different experiences with PHC facilities.

Another dimension of the problem is the quality and adequacy of health education provided at PHCs. Health education may sometimes be delivered as routine announcements rather than as interactive communication. Women may receive information but have limited opportunity to ask questions or discuss concerns. Where health education is insufficiently tailored to women’s needs, its ability to influence utilisation may be limited.

The attitudes of healthcare providers may also affect the relationship between education and utilisation. If women receive information from healthcare workers who are perceived as disrespectful or unapproachable, they may be less willing to return to the facility. WHO’s emphasis on people-centred PHC highlights the importance of services that respond to the needs and preferences of communities.

There is also the challenge of competing sources of health information. Women may obtain health information from family members, friends, social media, religious groups, pharmacies and informal providers. Some of this information may be accurate, while some may be misleading. Health education provided through PHCs must therefore be sufficiently clear and credible to enable women to distinguish evidence-based information from misconceptions.

The problem becomes more serious when women delay seeking professional care because they rely on self-medication or informal sources. Delayed utilisation can increase the risk of complications and may lead to greater costs for households and the health system. Early access to appropriate primary care can potentially prevent or manage many conditions before they require more intensive treatment.

The issue is not necessarily that women reject healthcare. Rather, there may be insufficient understanding of available services, perceived barriers to accessing them or limited confidence in the quality of PHC services. Health education could potentially address the knowledge component of this problem, but empirical research is necessary to determine the strength of its influence.

Evidence from Nigeria provides some support for the potential role of health education. Research in Ogun State found that a clinic-based health-education intervention increased women’s attitudes toward professional maternal care and was associated with greater utilisation of PHC facilities for delivery. However, the study focused specifically on pregnant women and delivery care and was conducted outside Lagos State.

Consequently, its findings cannot simply be generalised to women of reproductive age in Ikorodu LGA. Women who are not pregnant have different healthcare needs, and the factors influencing contraception, preventive screening, treatment-seeking and other PHC services may differ from those influencing delivery care.

There is therefore a need for a study that examines the relationship between health education and broader PHC utilisation among women of reproductive age within Ikorodu. Such a study can determine whether women who receive more adequate health education are more likely to use PHC services and whether gaps in knowledge or perceptions correspond with lower utilisation.

Another problem is the distinction between service availability and service utilisation. A PHC may be physically available within a community, yet women may not use it because they prefer private providers, pharmacies or other sources. Therefore, measuring the number of PHCs in an area is insufficient for determining whether women are actually benefiting from them.

The problem also has implications for universal health coverage. WHO identifies primary healthcare as a central foundation for universal health coverage and stresses that most sexual and reproductive health services can be integrated into PHC. If women do not utilise available PHC services, the objectives of universal health coverage and improved reproductive health cannot be fully achieved.

The central research problem is thus the limited empirical evidence on the extent to which health education influences utilisation of primary healthcare services among women of reproductive age in Ikorodu LGA, Lagos State. Although existing studies have identified socioeconomic, geographic and service-related determinants of healthcare utilisation, there remains a need to specifically examine health education as a potentially modifiable factor.

This study therefore seeks to assess the extent of health education received by women of reproductive age attending selected PHCs in Ikorodu LGA, examine their level of utilisation of available PHC services and determine whether a significant relationship exists between health education and healthcare utilisation.

1.3 Aim of the Study

The main aim of this study is to examine the influence of health education on the utilisation of primary healthcare services among women of reproductive age in selected primary healthcare centres in Ikorodu Local Government Area, Lagos State.

1.4 Objectives of the Study

The specific objectives are to:

1. assess the level of health education received by women of reproductive age attending selected primary healthcare centres in Ikorodu LGA;
2. identify the major types of health education provided to women of reproductive age at the selected PHC centres;
3. determine the level of utilisation of primary healthcare services among women of reproductive age in the selected PHC centres;
4. identify the major factors influencing utilisation of PHC services among women of reproductive age; and
5. determine the relationship between health education and utilisation of primary healthcare services among women of reproductive age in Ikorodu LGA.

1.5 Research Questions

The following research questions will guide the study:

1. What is the level of health education received by women of reproductive age attending selected PHC centres in Ikorodu LGA?
2. What types of health education are provided to women of reproductive age at the selected PHC centres?
3. What is the level of utilisation of primary healthcare services among women of reproductive age in the selected PHC centres?
4. What factors influence utilisation of PHC services among women of reproductive age in Ikorodu LGA?
5. What relationship exists between health education and utilisation of primary healthcare services among women of reproductive age in Ikorodu LGA?

1.6 Research Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis will be tested at the 0.05 level of significance:

H₀: There is no significant relationship between health education and the utilisation of primary healthcare services among women of reproductive age attending selected primary healthcare centres in Ikorodu Local Government Area, Lagos State.

1.7 Significance of the Study

The study will be significant to women of reproductive age because it may improve understanding of the importance of utilising PHC services. The findings may encourage women to seek preventive and curative healthcare promptly rather than waiting until illnesses become severe.

The study will be useful to healthcare workers in selected PHC centres, particularly nurses, midwives, community health officers and other frontline providers. It may identify specific areas of health education that require strengthening and demonstrate whether existing health-education activities are associated with actual utilisation.

The findings will benefit PHC managers and administrators by providing evidence that can be used to improve health-education programmes, communication strategies and client engagement. It may also help managers identify reasons why women do not fully utilise available services.

The study will be relevant to Lagos State Ministry of Health and local government health authorities. The evidence may assist policymakers in strengthening health-promotion strategies targeted at women of reproductive age and improving demand for PHC services.

The study will also be useful to community health workers because it can help them identify appropriate ways of taking health information beyond health facilities into communities. Community-based education may be particularly important for women who have limited contact with formal healthcare facilities.

The study will benefit public-health practitioners by providing evidence concerning health education as a potentially modifiable determinant of PHC utilisation. Such evidence can inform behavioural-change communication and community-health interventions.

The study will be significant to women’s health and reproductive-health programmes because effective utilisation of PHCs can increase access to contraception, antenatal and postnatal care, screening, preventive services and treatment of common conditions. WHO emphasises that comprehensive sexual and reproductive healthcare should be integrated into PHC and universal health coverage.

The study will also contribute to the achievement of universal health coverage. Increased utilisation of quality PHC services can improve early access to healthcare and reduce avoidable dependence on expensive tertiary care.

Academically, the study will contribute to the literature on health education, health-seeking behaviour, primary healthcare utilisation and women’s health in Nigeria. It will provide a localised perspective from Ikorodu LGA.

Finally, the study will serve as a useful reference for future researchers investigating health education, reproductive health, PHC utilisation, maternal healthcare and healthcare-seeking behaviour among women in Lagos State and other Nigerian communities.

1.8 Scope of the Study

The study focuses on the influence of health education on the utilisation of primary healthcare services among women of reproductive age in selected primary healthcare centres in Ikorodu LGA, Lagos State.

The study covers women within the reproductive age group of 15–49 years who attend the selected PHC centres.

The independent variable is health education, measured through women’s exposure to health information, frequency of health education, relevance and clarity of information, understanding of available PHC services and perceived usefulness of the education received.

The dependent variable is utilisation of PHC services, measured through frequency of visits, use of reproductive-health services, family-planning services, antenatal and postnatal services where applicable, immunisation-related services, preventive screening, treatment of common illnesses and prompt healthcare-seeking.

The study is geographically limited to selected PHC centres in Ikorodu LGA, Lagos State. It does not cover all PHCs in Lagos State and therefore findings should be generalised cautiously beyond the study area.

1.9 Operational Definition of Terms

Health Education: A planned process of providing individuals with accurate health information and developing the knowledge, attitudes and skills needed to make informed health decisions and adopt appropriate health behaviours.

Primary Healthcare (PHC): Essential healthcare provided as the first level of contact between individuals, families and the health system, incorporating promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative services.

Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC Centre): A health facility providing first-contact community-level healthcare services, including preventive, promotive and basic curative services.

Healthcare Utilisation: The actual use of available healthcare services by an individual when seeking preventive, promotive, curative or rehabilitative care.

Women of Reproductive Age: Women aged 15–49 years, consistent with the commonly used demographic definition in reproductive-health research.

Health-Seeking Behaviour: The actions and decisions made by an individual when recognising a health problem or needing preventive healthcare, including where, when and from whom care is sought.

Reproductive Health: A state of physical, mental and social well-being in matters relating to the reproductive system and its functions and processes.

Antenatal Care: Healthcare provided to a woman during pregnancy to monitor the health of the mother and fetus and prevent or manage pregnancy-related complications.

Postnatal Care: Healthcare provided to a woman and her newborn following childbirth to promote recovery, detect complications and support healthy maternal and infant outcomes.

Family Planning: Information, counselling and services that enable individuals and couples to determine the number and spacing of their children.

Preventive Healthcare: Measures undertaken to prevent disease, detect health problems early and reduce the risk of complications.

Curative Healthcare: Healthcare provided to diagnose and treat existing illnesses or health conditions.

Health Information: Accurate information concerning diseases, prevention, treatment, available healthcare services and healthy behaviours.

Healthcare Access: The ability of individuals to obtain needed healthcare services when and where they require them.

Women’s Health: The physical, mental, reproductive and social health needs of women throughout the life course.

Ikorodu Local Government Area: A local government administrative area within Lagos State, Nigeria, and the geographical setting of the study.

Project – Influence of Health Education on the Utilisation of Primary Healthcare Services among Women of Reproductive Age: A Study of Selected Primary Healthcare Centres in Ikorodu Local Government Area, Lagos State