AWARENESS, PATTERNS OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE PREFERENCE, AND INFLUENCING FACTORS AMONG RESIDENTS IN A SUB-URBAN REGION, SOUTHERN NIGERIA

Background:Primary health care (PHC) serves as the foundation of effective health systems, yet its utilization in Nigeria is limited due to varying awareness and socioeconomic factors. Understanding the determinants of PHC awareness and preference is crucial for promoting its adoption and achieving universal health coverage. Objective:To assess the awareness, patterns of PHC preference, and influencing factors among residents of Ovia North East Local Government Area, Edo State, Nigeria. Methods:A cross-sectional study was done, which included 380 respondents selected through multistage sampling. Data were collected using structured, interviewer-administered questionnaires and analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics version 27. Descriptive statistics summarized the data, while chi-square and Fishers exact tests assessed associations. Results:Of the 380 participants, 95.3% were aware of PHC centres, with the community being the leading source of information (62.4%). Vaccination (74.0%) and maternal health services (70.4%) were the most recognized services, while awareness of cancer screening was low (3.3%). Only 24.5% of respondents preferred PHC centres, with affordability (65.7%) being a major factor. Age, gender, education, and employment status, significantly influenced awareness (p < 0.05). Income and satisfaction with services emerged as key determinants of preference. Conclusion:Despite high awareness levels, PHC preference remains low due to service quality and affordability concerns. Addressing these gaps through infrastructure improvements, community education, and service quality enhancements is critical to improving PHC utilization.