Home > Geography, Earth Sciences > Vol 12 2024 Abstract 5
Demographic and Socio-economic Characteristics of Patrons of Traditional Medicine in Sabon Gari Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria
Dr. Silas Joshua, Prof. M. Mamman, Prof. J.G Laah, and Dr. Anslem Rimau Bako

Abstract
Traditional medicine consists of medical knowledge systems that developed over centuries within various societies before the era of modern medicine. The aim of the study is to assess the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of traditional medicine in Sabon Gari Local Government Area. Questionnaire was administered among 364 purposively selected respondents in the study area. Also, in-depth interview and Focus Group Discussions were conducted. Descriptive statistics such as frequency counts and percentages were used to summarize the data. Also Chi-square, a non-parametric technique was used for data analysis and the following respondent’s attributes were considered age, sex, ethnicity, level of education, income level, employment status, and types of accommodation. The findings of the study reveals that the highest patronizers of trado-medical system falls within the age group of 25 – 29 years followed by those in the age group of 20 – 24 years. This is an indication of the strong confidence in this system of healthcare by the younger generation. It was impressive to observe that illiteracy is not the only cause of high patronage of trado-medical system as over 79.1 percent of the patronizers are illiterate, at least beyond secondary school. Civil servants are by far the largest occupational category among the patronizers, they constitute about 46.7 percent and 22.3 percent are casual laborers and majority of the respondents are low-income earners with 62.7 percent. The chi-square test shows significant relationship in patronage of traditional medicine by age (calculated = 217.190, table = 18.31), sex(calculated = 3.940, table = 3.84), level of education (calculated = 119.993, table = 7.82), income (calculated = 27.270, table = 11.07), and distances to healthcare (calculated = 119.993, table = 11.07), it therefore means that since the calculated values in the entire test are greater than the table value the null hypothesis (Ho) is rejected, which implied statistically significant and it means that the occurrence is not likely due to chance. It is recommended that sex, age, income, education and distances to healthcare Centre’s should be targeted as a major socio-demographic instrument for the integration and improvement of TMP patronage. Education remains a fundamental instrument for enforcing improved TMP in Kaduna State and Nigeria at large.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jges.v12a5