QUANTIFYING THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS AND HEALTH RISK BEHAVIOURS OF OIL SERVICING COMPANY WORKER’S IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION

Abstract

In view of the alarming rate of expenditure in treatment and health cost of employees annually in
Nigeria which has been observed as an emerging trend due to low level of awareness of health
risk behaviours. It was crucial for this study to investigate the degree of association between
socio-economic characteristics (Sex, Marital Status, Age, Educational Status, Monthly income)
and health risk behaviours of employees in oil servicing companies in the Niger Delta Region,
Nigeria. A total of 395 copies of structured questionnaire were validated and administered to the
workers of the selected oil servicing companies. The result shows that the number of bottles of
beer drunk per day correlated significantly with sex (r=0.176), marital status (r=0.168), age
distribution (r=0.146), education status (r=0.146) and monthly income (r=0.131) at p<0.05. On
the other hand, the frequency of using condom is significantly correlated with marital status (r=
0.240) while age distribution is correlated significantly with frequency of smoking (r=-0.133).
The analysis also shows that monthly income significantly correlated with number of bottles
drunk per day (r=0.131); frequency of smoking (r=0.124); average number of stick of cigarette
or tobacco (r=0.127) and frequency of using condom (r=0.137) all at p<0.05. The regression
between (brand of alcohol, frequency of alcohol intake, no of bottles drunk per day, frequency of
smoking, average number of sticks, frequency of using condom during sexual intercourse)
reveals thus; ( R=0.656; 0.708; 0.786; 0.619; 0.613; 0.701).The regression coefficients being
relative high is an indication that socio-economic characteristics has so much influence on health
risk behaviour. Based on the findings, intensive awareness campaign on the health benefit of
personal health risk assessment, Periodic conduct/ publication of individual health risk
assessment by the company management; workers to be liable for all accidents traceable to
individual health risk behaviours, intermittent medical examination of workers to ascertain the
state of fitness was recommended.