The severe shortage and maldistribution of Western-trained health personnel in Nigeria, and the realization that traditional healers and midwives are the only available providers of health care to most Nigerians living in rural areas led to the recommendation that traditional practitioners be integrated into the present hospital-oriented medical system in the country. Though the two systems of care are utilized jointly by a number of consumers, the recommendation faces several problems; and the inadequacy of existing modern health care facilities further represent a major public health planning problem Most of the studies undertaken in Nigeria to identify some of the socio-demographic and cultural factors which influence the pattern of utilization of health care facilities were conducted in Ibadan/Ibarapa division of Western Nigeria. Their findings, though in general agreement, could not be widely applied to the diverse ethnic/cultural groups in the country The purposes of this study were: First, to identify the pattern of utilization of maternity care services and the socio-demographic and cultural characteristics of 'users' and 'non-users' of modern maternity care services among reproductive-aged Egba-Egbado Yoruba women residing in a rural area of Ogun State (Nigeria). Second, to assess the influence of selected socio-demographic and cultural variables, illness behavior, and knowledge and attitudes of the women regarding modern (hospital-oriented) maternity care on their utilization of existing maternity care services and personnel A sample of 250 households was systematically selected for this study, and 304 Egba-Egbado Yoruba women (age 15-44) who had a child between January, 1979 and December, 1981 were interviewed concerning pregnancy, delivery and child care. An interview schedule prepared especially for the purposes of this study was administered to the eligible women by trained interviewers The factors found to differentiate 'users' from 'non-users' were socio-economic factors (level of education, literacy, and occupation), the use of native medicines during pregnancy, knowledge of location of a 'hospital', number of times attended antenatal clinic, and their utilization experience within the system On the basis of this study, a number of considerations are derived for the planning of maternity health education programs needed, and recommendations are given for future studies that will improve the information base for health planning in general
