KNOWLEDGE OF MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH SERVICES AMONG WOMEN OF CHILDBEARING AGE IN KATAGUM LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA BAUCHI STATE

Abstract

This study examined the knowledge of maternal and child health services among women of childbearing age in Katagum Local Government Area, Bauchi State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised 25,365 women of childbearing age in the study area, from which a sample size of 760 respondents was selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected using a self-structured questionnaire validated by three experts in Health Education, and a reliability coefficient of 0.77 was obtained using the Spearman-Brown Prophecy Formula. Data were analyzed using a one-sample Z-test at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that there was a significant difference in the proportion of women who had adequate knowledge of maternal health services and those who did not (Z = 8.27, p < 0.05). Similarly, a significant difference was found in the proportion of women who had adequate knowledge of child health services and those who did not (Z = 7.16, p < 0.05). The study concluded that a significant proportion of women of childbearing age in Katagum Local Government Area possess adequate knowledge of both maternal and child health services. It was therefore recommended that government and health authorities should sustain and strengthen health education programmes, community outreach initiatives, and access to maternal and child health services, particularly in rural communities.