Authors : Sunday, Oliver Tyav; Obioma Onwuegbuchi

Volume/Issue : Volume 10 - 2025, Issue 11 - November

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/2vvxdaek

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/zkv22cca

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25nov1396

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

Abstract : Health-seeking behaviour among youth is critical for overall development. However, it is often determined by socio- economic factors. This study investigates cultural beliefs and health seeking behaviour among youths in Lafia Local Government Area. The main objective was examined how cultural beliefs influences health seeking behaviour among youth. Using a multistate, probability and stratified sampling techniques, the study selected 460 respondents for qualitative and 5 for qualitative data among youth making a total of 465 research participants. The study was guided by the Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Theory and the Health Belief Model (HBM). One hypothesis was formulated and tested with regression analysis through the statistical package for social sciences version 27. The study revealed that youths in Lafia Local Government Area recognize the importance of healthcare but often adopt a reactive approach due to cultural and religious beliefs R2 = 0.959, F = 2038.397, p < 0.000. these finding showed that cultural norms such as preference for traditional healing, fear of hospital treatment, and religious beliefs significantly influence health-seeking behaviour. Family pressure and community expectations were also found to discourage the use of formal healthcare, while opinions on traditional medicine and frequency of cultural deterrents were not statistically significant. The study recommends: community-based health education programs that integrate traditional and modern medicine; collaboration with traditional healers for referral systems; youth-focused interventions promoting independent healthcare decisions; engagement of religious and traditional leaders in health advocacy; and policy reforms that address socio-cultural barriers to equitable healthcare access.

Keywords : Cultural beliefs, Health-seeking behaviour, Youths, Traditional medicine, Social Determinants of Health, Healthcare access.

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