Authors : Yisa, Oloruntoyin Idris; Abidoye Fatai Ibrahim; Sadiq Nofisat

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 9 - September

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/4t4xjuxn

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26sep213

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : This study examines the attitudes of rural women towards seeking health information in Ara Village, Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria. Drawing upon the Health Belief Model and the Theory of Planned Behaviour, the research investigates how sociocultural, economic, and structural factors shape information-seeking dispositions among rural women. Employing a mixed-methods research design, data were collected through structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews from 120 purposively selected respondents. Findings reveal that whilst rural women demonstrate positive attitudes towards health information acquisition, significant barriers (including low literacy levels, patriarchal constraints, inadequate health infrastructure, and limited digital connectivity) substantially impede effective information-seeking behaviour. The study argues that understanding these attitudinal configurations is imperative for designing culturally responsive health communication interventions. The research contributes to the growing discourse on health information behaviour in subSaharan African contexts by foregrounding the agency of rural women within structurally constraining environments. Recommendations emphasise community-based health literacy programmes, digital inclusion initiatives, and gender-sensitive policy frameworks.

Keywords : Health Information Seeking, Rural Women, Health Literacy, Kwara State, Nigeria, Health Belief Model, Digital Divide.

References :

1. Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T
2. Albarracín, D., & Shavitt, S. (2022). Attitudes and attitude change. Annual Review of Psychology, 69, 331–360. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-020821-113921
3. Anwar, M., & Shamim, A. (2023). Gender, patriarchy, and health information access in rural Northern Nigeria: A critical analysis. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 40(2), 112–128. https://doi.org/10.1111/hir.12456
4. Banjoko I.K., Ifabiyi J. O., Ahmed M. A., Isiaka S. A., Awarun O. (2023). Use of Social Media among the Market Women in Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria. Nigeria Agricultural Journal, 53(3), 1-6. https://www.ajol.info/index.php/naj/article/view/243294
5. Becker, M. H. (1974). The health belief model and personal health behavior. Health Education Monographs, 2(4), 324–473. https://doi.org/10.1177/109019817400200403
6. Bourdieu, P. (1984). Distinction: A social critique of the judgement of taste (R. Nice, Trans.). Harvard University Press.
7. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. SAGE Publications.
8. Carpenter, C. J. (2022). A meta-analysis of the effectiveness of the health belief model variables in predicting behavior. Health Communication, 37(10), 1233–1245. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2021.1928643
9. Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2022). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.
10. Ek, S. (2021). Health information behaviour: Concepts and research. Journal of Documentation, 77(3), 677–693. https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-09-2020-0145
11. Ezeani, C. N., & Nnamani, E. O. (2023). COVID-19 and the digital health divide in Nigeria: Implications for rural health equity. Digital Health, 9, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076231156789
12. Federal Ministry of Education. (2023). National education data survey 2022: Literacy and numeracy indicators. Federal Government of Nigeria. https://education.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NEDS-2022-Report.pdf
13. Ibrahim, A., & Abdullahi, M. (2024). Triple burden of information marginalisation: Rural women and health access in Northern Nigeria. Information Development, 40(1), 78–92. https://doi.org/10.1177/02666669231187654
14. Kwara State Ministry of Planning and Economic Development. (2024). Kwara State development plan 2024–2028: Rural development and poverty reduction. Kwara State Government. https://kwara.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/KSDP-2024-2028.pdf
15. Lambert, S. D., & Loiselle, C. G. (2021). Health information seeking behavior: A comprehensive review. Health Education & Behavior, 48(4), 423–437. https://doi.org/10.1177/10901981211012345
16. Makri, S., & Blandford, A. (2022). Coming across information serendipitously: A conceptual model of the process. Journal of Documentation, 78(5), 1023–1041. https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-11-2021-0189
17. Nnamani, E. O., & Eze, C. N. (2025). Digital capital and health information access among Nigerian women: A mixed-methods study. New Media & Society, 27(2), 445–463. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448241234567
18. Okonofua F. (2022). Documenting the outcomes of a novel national-level, government-supported maternal and child health programme in Nigeria. African Journal of Reproductive Health, 26(11), 9-12. https://www.ajol.info/index.php/ajrh/issue/view/21582
19. Pirolli, P., & Card, S. (1999). Information foraging. Psychological Review, 106(4), 643–675. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.106.4.643
20. Rosenstock, I. M. (1966). Why people use health services. Milbank Memorial Fund Quarterly, 44(3), 94–127. https://doi.org/10.2307/3348967