ABSTRACT
This study investigated the probable factors that affect utilization of conditional cash transfer in maternal healthcare services in Ekiti State. The aims and objectives were to investigate how socioeconomic factors, uptake level, and quality of healthcare service affect the utilization of conditional cash transfer in maternal healthcare services in Ekiti State.
The descriptive non-experimental qualitative study used structured questionnaire to collect data from maternal women on antenatal or postnatal healthcare services at public health facilities in the state. Convenience non-probability random sampling technique was used to select 768 participants from 23 health facilities across 6 local government areas in 2 senatorial districts of Ekiti State. The data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, probit regression, and chi-square test.
The findings revealed that the socio economic factors of the maternal women, such as: secondary education (44.8%), monthly income below N30,000 (60.7%), and no health insurance (59.5%) affect utilization of conditional cash transfer in maternal healthcare services in the state. The mean value of the groups especially income (1.60) was not significant at 2.5 (mean criterion), while education (3.21) and health insurance (3.73) were significant at 2.5. The probit result revealed 0.013 positive coefficient, indicates that the maternal women were more likely to receive antenatal or postnatal healthcare when they had money for transport fare to and fro health facilities. The chi-square Pearson Goodness of fit test was statistically significant at 0.05pvalue. It is recommended that government should scale up interventions to maternal healthcare service using conditional cash transfer (CCT) to improve the uptake level and quality of the healthcare services in the State. This includes: subsidy or cost free to maternal healthcare services, free or subsidy to drugs costs, skilled delivery kits, and other healthcare needs paid by maternal women in improving the uptake and quality of the healthcare.
