THE IMPACT OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES UTILIZATION TOWARDS ACHIEVING HEALTH PROMOTION IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Healthcare services utilization is essential for longevity and health promotion. The presence of 
healthcare facilities alone is not required for utilization, but depends on predisposing factors. 
Staying healthy by individual in a community to cope with life demands has been recognized 
since primitive times. However, everyone must strive hard to achieve this goal. This paper 
reviews how healthcare service utilization has been described as the product of interactions 
between healthcare professionals, patients and the generation of health services in Nigeria. The 
paper also reviewed positive and negative Impacts of Healthcare Services Utilizations in Nigeria 
and proffered way forward. Ways of Traditional/modern medicine and availability of Healthcare 
services utilizations were elucidated. Finally, the paper proffered some possible solutions to 
eliminate these identified problems and factors leading to effective utilization of Healthcare 
Services in Nigeria. Suggestions for promotion of Healthcare services utilizations in Nigeria 
included: Rehabilitating and equipping existing Primary Health Cares with modern equipment; 
employing more qualified healthcare professionals in PHCs; Community Involvement; 
Increasing Access and Affordability; Enhancing Quality and Relevance; Leveraging Digital 
Technologies; Raising Awareness and Community Participation is crucial to improving 
healthcare utilization in rural areas of Nigeria.