AWARENESS AND PERCEPTIONS ON REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS IN SOKOTO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Lack of clarity about the registration process, coupled with low-level awareness, individual perceptions and attitudes, inadequate knowledge on the importance of birth and death registration, and insufficient centres, especially on death registration, bring low coverage and poor registration records. This creates a gap in fertility and mortality data and, in turn, has severe consequences for policy formulation and planning in human development. This study examines the level of awareness and perceptions on birth and death registration among the parents in Sokoto State. It used quantitative and qualitative methods. Four hundred (400) respondents were sampled using disproportionate quota sampling for the questionnaire, and the data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Also, an interview was conducted with community leaders, and the data were analysed using the qualitative technique. Chi-square was employed to test whether the parents' demographic and socio-economic characteristics influence birth and death registration. In terms of source of awareness on birth registration, sensitisation during antenatal care in hospitals has the highest percentage (90.7%). At the same time,among people, it accounts for 6.8% and not being aware with only 0.5%, indicating a high awareness level for birth registration among the respondents. But respondents who reported a lack of awareness of death registration accounted for 99%. This revealed that awareness among the people on benefits and reasons for death registration is deficient compared to birth registration. The study further showed that all parents' demographic and socio-economic characteristics significantly influenced birth registration, but death registration was reported to be otherwise. The study recommends intensive enlightenment campaigns by National Population Commission with the collaboration of key stakeholders on the importance of birth and death registration. Government should fully enforce registration laws and regulations, especially on death registration.