EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF POVERTY AND WELL-BEING OF RURAL DWELLERS IN YAKURR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The thrust of this study was to investigate the effect of poverty on the well-being of rural dwellers in Yakurr local government area of Cross River State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study examined the effect of poverty on the quality of food and health care services access by rural dwellers in Yakurr local government area. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey research design. Purposive sampling technique was used in selecting four hundred (400) respondents from the rural areas of Yakurr local government area of Cross River State. Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. Elucidated data were statistically analyzed using linear regression while all hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The result of the analysis revealed that poverty significantly affect the quality of food consumed by rural dwellers, it also revealed that poverty significantly affect the quality of health care services access by rural dwellers in Yakurr local government area of Cross River State, Nigeria. Based on the findings of this study it was recommended that government, non-government organisations, and wealthy individuals should contribute to the generation of employment, provision of social amenities and support the health needs of rural people in Yakuur local government of Cross River State, Nigeria.