Health seeking behavior and health status of inmates at Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Kalibo, Aklan

Abstract

This research study was conducted to identify the Health Seeking Behavior and Health Status of Inmates at Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Kalibo, Aklan. Specifically, this study aimed to determine their personal characteristics, the inmates Family Support they receive in terms of Financial, Clothing, Food and Medicines, awareness of one-self and the health services, extent of utilization of health services available, health seeking behavior, and health status of inmates. More importantly, it emphasizes on whether there is relationship between the awareness of one-self and health services, utilization of health services, health seeking behavior and their health status. This is a descriptive-relational study which employed the one-shot survey design. The survey includes 104 mothers with children 0-6 years old diagnosed with URTI who were interviewed using structured interview guide that was prepared in English and translated in Antiqueno dialect. Data were processed and analyzed using the SPSS version 17.0 wherein the frequency and percentage of the variables were determined. In determining the relationship between variables, gamma coefficient statistics was employed and interpreted based on the scale of co-efficient of correlation and descriptive equivalent of Garret’s interpretation.

Major Findings

Based on the research problem and the objectives of this study, the major findings were the following: A little less than one half of the respondents was 34 to 49 years old with mean age of 36 years old. Majority of the respondents were male and only few were females. However most of the respondents were single and high school educated. Family support of the inmates was found to be related to their health status. Awareness of health services among all most of the inmates was found to be high. Utilization health services of inmates were found to have almost the same percentage to those who access and do not access the health services. Most of the respondents were rated as to have a poor level of health seeking behavior. Large majority of the respondents found to have a good health status. The relational analysis found that sex of the inmates has a relationship on their awareness and access to health services. However, personal characteristics such as age, civil status and educational attainment are found to be not associated with the inmates’ awareness and access to health services. Age, sex, civil status and educational attainment are found to be associated with inmate’s health seeking behavior in the institution. Personal characteristics such as age, sex, civil status and educational attainment are related to their health status. Family support such as financial, food, clothing and medicine were found to be related to their health status.