Influence of Cultural Factors on Health Seeking Behavior in Ebonyi State, South East, Nigeria
This paper investigates the influence of cultural factors on health seeking behaviour in Ebonyi State, South East, Nigeria: The Ishiagu-Ebonyi Exemplar. The specific objectives are to find out the cultural factors influencing health-seeking behaviour in the Ishiagu community and to suggest measures that could be taken to improve the health-seeking behaviour among individuals in Ishiagu. Social Learning Theory was adopted as the theoretical framework. This study adopted a descriptive survey design. A survey research design was adopted. The population for this study was seventy-three thousand, six hundred and fifty-seven (73,657). Taro Yamani formula was used to determine the sample size of 255. The study employed a questionnaire in the collection of data and a simple percentage was used in analyzing data. The study found that; the health seeking behavior can be influenced by a myriad of cultural factors, such as beliefs, values, traditions, and social norms within Ishiagu community or group, It also revealed that by implementing measures such as promoting information literacy skills, fostering curiosity and a growth mindset, providing access to diverse sources of information, leveraging technology, and fostering a culture of continuous learning, organizations can empower individuals to seek out relevant information effectively. The study among others recommended that ensuring the availability of healthcare services, including healthcare facilities, trained healthcare professionals, and adequate medications, can reduce barriers to health seeking behavior.