EFFECT OF HEALTH EDUCATION INTERVENTION ON HEALTHCARE SERVICE UTILISATION AMONG FEDERAL COLLEGES OF EDUCATION STUDENTS IN NORTH-WEST NIGERIA: THE ROLE OF ECONOMIC FACTORS

Healthcare service underutilisation among college students in resource-constrained settings remains a significant public health concern, with economic factors frequently identified as key barriers. This study examined the effect of a health education intervention on healthcare service utilisation among Federal Colleges of Education students in North-West Nigeria, with a specific focus on economic determinants. A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design with control and experimental groups was employed. Using multi-stage sampling, 200 students were recruited from two institutions: Federal College of Education, Zaria (experimental group, n=100) and Federal College of Education, Kano (control group, n=100). The experimental group received an eight-week structured health education programme addressing income level, employment status, cost of healthcare, and health insurance as determinants of healthcare access. A validated, researcher-developed questionnaire (Cronbach's α = 0.752) was administered at pre-test and post-test stages. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, paired-sample t-tests, and independent sample t-tests at a 0.05 significance level. Results revealed a significant improvement in healthcare utilisation among the experimental group (pre-test mean = 2.46; post-test mean = 3.33; t = 35.13; p = 0.000). A significant difference was also observed between groups post-intervention (experimental mean = 3.33 vs. control mean = 2.47; t = 21.21; p = 0.000). These findings affirm that health education interventions can meaningfully address economic barriers to healthcare utilisation among college students. Policymakers and institutional administrators are urged to integrate economic support mechanisms within student health promotion frameworks