Barriers to utilization of skilled maternal and child healthcare services in Nigeria : the influence of non-cognitive and personality traits
(2023)
Files
JosephineAikpitanyi_Thesis_BarrierstoutilizationofskilledmaternalandchildhealthcareservicesinNigeria.pdf
Restricted Access - Adobe PDF
- 1.53 MB
Details
- Authors
- Supervisors
- Abstract
- The fundamental assumptions of traditional economics theory imply that humans are perfectly rational beings motivated by self-interest, who select the option that would maximize their utility at the end of a decision process. This entails that, individuals have access to complete information related to their environment and the decision to be made; are capable to deal with choice complexity and evaluate the utility of all decision alternatives by considering external events and scenarios, and to calculate their associated probabilities; and are not influenced by their emotions or contextual factors when deciding. Recent neuroscientific evidence posits that behaviours are driven by automatic and unconscious deliberations instead of extensive, outcome-oriented reflections. Therefore, focusing on involuntary and spontaneous cognitive processes has the potential to positively influence health risk behaviours and avert diseases, with the ultimate goals of improving health and reducing healthcare costs. Behavioural economics, the combination of psychological insights and economics to predict individual decision-making, could be used to generate and advance positive changes in health-conducive behaviours through improved public policies. Ideally, the utilization of healthcare services reflects a need for care, but that is not the case, for several reasons. Many factors affect healthcare utilization independently of need and are reflected in differences, some of which are remediable, among population groups. Some of these factors are related to biologic or environmental differences among groups, such as disproportionate residence in polluted environments, access to healthy food and adequate housing, and education associated with effective use of health care. Others are related to differences in access, such as health insurance coverage or income needed to obtain services, ease of obtaining services, and discriminatory practices of providers. While the role of cognitive traits in the utilization of healthcare services has been established, an emerging body of research has found that non-cognitive traits also play an important role in the physical and psychological well-being of an individual. A substantial body of research indicates that non-cognitive and personality traits predict a wide range of life outcomes, including health, lifestyles, academic and educational achievement. For several outcomes, the predictive significance of non-cognitive traits on the quality of peoples’ lives rivals that of the measures of their cognitive ability. The intent of this thesis is to establish a foundation and purpose for consideration in investigating and applying non-cognitive and personality traits in all aspects of maternal and child healthcare in low and lower-middle-income countries.
- Affiliations
Citations
Aikpitanyi, J. (2023). Barriers to utilization of skilled maternal and child healthcare services in Nigeria : the influence of non-cognitive and personality traits. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/30383