Page 183 - GHES-3-3

Global Health Economics and
Sustainability
Transport and health of pregnant women

First, a purposive selection was conducted to include 4. Results
three federal hospitals, two state hospitals, 13 PHCs,
and 19 private hospitals across Ibadan North, Ibadan 4.1. Sociodemographic characteristics of
Northwest, and Ibadan Northeast. The purposive respondents
selection of these healthcare facilities was based on Analysis of the sociodemographic characteristics of
limited financial resources and ease of access to these the respondents shows that 107 of the respondents,
facilities. Second, a total of 7,140 pregnant women representing 30% of the sampled population, fall within
registered with the selected health facilities were included the age range of 36 – 40 years old. This is the highest
in the population for the study. Of this total, 780 were frequency recorded, while the lowest frequency, 3.1%,
registered with all the selected federal hospitals, 600 with falls within the age category of 46 – 55 years old. However,
the state hospitals, 2360 with the PHCs, and 3400 with most of the respondents fall within the age category of
the private hospitals. Third, 5% of the total registered between 25 and 40 years. Most of the respondents (93.0%)
pregnant women were selected from each health facility, are married, while 5.9% and 1.1% are single mothers and
yielding a sample size of 357 (Table 1). The choice of 5% divorced, respectively. In terms of education, 186 (52.1%)
was guided by general sample size estimation methods respondents have secondary education, 168 (47.1%)
for health and social sciences (Charan and Biswas, have tertiary education, and 3 (0.8%) have only primary
2013; Habib et al., 2014). Fourth, a questionnaire was education. In terms of employment status, 40.1% of the
administered to the selected pregnant women based respondents are self-employed, 33.1% are traders, 21.6%
on the following criteria: (i) respondents were in the are civil servants, and 5.3% are unemployed (Table 2).
second trimester to ensure visibility of their pregnancy, 4.2. Travel needs of respondents
(ii) respondents resided beyond the trekking distance
from the health facilities, and (iii) informed consent was The travel needs of the respondents were divided into
obtained from all participants before administering the six major categories – market, workplace, social centers,
questionnaire. Where respondents declined participation religious centers, health centers, and visits to friends and
for personal reasons, other consenting individuals were families. Results revealed that the need to visit health
included until the 5% threshold was met. centers has the highest frequency (99.7%) for all the
respondents in all the LGAs of the study. This is followed
The questionnaire comprised four different sections. by the need to visit religious centers (98.3%). In addition,
The first section focused on the sociodemographic a large proportion of the respondents (94.7%) have travel
attributes of the respondents. The second section addressed needs to the market and workplace. About 68.1% of the
the travel needs and transport choices of the respondents. respondents visit their friends and family, while 12.9% of
The third section explored factors influencing transport the respondents visit social centers (Table 3).
choices, and the last section examined factors contributing
to transport exclusion. Data from the questionnaire were 4.3. Transport choices by respondents
analyzed and presented using descriptive statistics, such as Transport choices available for the respondents in the
tables and cross-tabulations using IBM Statistical Package study area fall within six categories, which include
for the Social Sciences (SPSS) (version 23). Pearson walking, motorcycles, tricycles, private cars, commercial
correlation analysis was also used to identify relationships cars, and commercial buses. For all the LGAs, 90.2% of
between relevant variables in the dataset using IBM SPSS the respondents selected motorcycles as their transport
(version 23). Statistical significance was determined at means, 78.4% chose walking, 70.3% chose tricycles, 32.8%
p < 0.05. used private cars, while 72.8% and 24.1% used commercial

Table 1. Population and sample size of registered pregnant women in the selected health facilities
Health facilities Registered pregnant women/sample size selected
Ibadan Northwest Ibadan North Ibadan Northeast Total population/sample size
Federal hospitals 260/13 280/14 240/12 780/39
State hospitals 300/15 0/0 300/15 600/30
Private healthcare centers 500/25 800/40 1,060/53 2,360/118
Private hospitals 1,160/58 1,280/64 960/48 3,400/170
Total 2,220/111 2,360/118 2,560/128 7,140/357

Volume 3 Issue 3 (2025) 175 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.5203