Socio-economic factors and family size in Odukpani Local Government, Cross River State, Nigeria

Authors

  • Chimaobi Okorie Department of Social Work, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar. Author
  • Chinasa Uttah Department of Environmental Resource Management, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar. Author
  • Chinyere Dede Helen Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar. Author

Keywords:

Socio-economic conditions, Family size, Educational level, Family planning

Abstract

The study examines the effect of socio-economic conditions on family size in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. The general objective was to find out the effect of socio-economic crisis on family size. The research problems were clearly defined, specific research question was developed the research hypothesis was also formulated to guide the researcher in the investigation. Relevant literature was reviewed and theories were used to back the explication of the study. To achieve the objectives of the study survey research design was employed, the purposive and stratified sampling technique was used to select respondents in the study area. A structured questionnaire was also constructed and administered to two hundred (200) respondents. Chisquare (X2) was used in analyzing the data retrieved. The results showed that, there is a significant relationship between socio-economic conditions and family size in Odukpani Local Government Area, Cross River State, there is a significant relationship between educational level and family size in Odukpani Local Government Area, Cross River State. Based on the findings; it was therefore, recommended that; the government in the collaboration with social welfare agencies as well as NGOs should formulate policies and develop programmes with the aim of sensitizing the general public on the need for family planning, so as to reduce the issues in family size.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

1. Adepoju A. (1993). Population Growth in Nigeria and the Impact on Labour Force. Nigeria Current Issues, The Nigeria Situations, Facts and Background. Geneva

2. Adesina S. (1982). Planning and Educational Development in Nigeria (2nd ed.). Educational Industries Nigeria Limited

3. Adjaero N.M. (1996). The Structure of the Family: A Social Institution. Spiritan Publications

4. Ahlburg D.A. & Kelley A.C. (1996). The Consequences of Rapid Population Growth on Human Resource Development: The Case of Education. In The Impact of Population Growth on Wellbeing in Developing Countries

5. Aigbokhan B.E. (2008). Growth, Inequality and Poverty in Nigeria. Prepared for the United Nations

6. Akpotu D., Omotor G., & Dickson A. (2007). Family Size and Parents' Socio-Economic Variables as Predictors of Investment in Children's Education in South-West Nigeria. Communications in Science, 1(2), 127-132

7. Akpotu N.E. & Jike V.T. (2004). An Analysis of the Link Between Education and Crime: Prison Inmates' Perception in Nigeria. The African Symposium: An Online Journal of the African Educational Research Network (AERN), 4(4). Retrieved from http://www2.ncsu.edu/ncsu/aern/dec4.html

8. Akpotu N.E. (2015). Education as a Correlate of Fertility Rate Among Families in Southern Nigeria. The African Symposium: An Online Journal of the African Educational Research Network (AERN), 5(2), 5-15

9. Allison V. (2003). Does Large Family Size Reduce Investment in Children? Not Much. Retrieved from cheetahmiddlebury.edu/Jiortache/popdevJt/Topics/CONFERENCES/Food/vr

10. Anh T.S., Knodel J., Lam D., & Friedman J. (1998). Family Size and Children's Education in Vietnam. Demography, 35, 57-70

11. Ashford I.S. (2001). New Population Policies: Advancing Women's Health and Rights. Population Bulletin (PRB), 56(1), 3-12

12. Becker S.G. (1990). Economic Analysis of Fertility in Demographic Economic Changes in Developed Countries. Princeton University Press

13. Berker B., Mirowsky H., & Goldsteen K. (1960). The Impact of the Family on Health: The Decade in Review. The Journal of Marriage and Family, 52, 1059-1078

14. Brass W. (1994). The Demography of Tropical Africa. Princeton University Press

15. Brinkoff T. (2007). Odukpani Local Government Area in Nigeria. Retrieved from www.citypopulation.de

16. Coombs P.H. (1985). The World Crisis in Education: The View from the Eighties. Oxford University Press

17. David N. (2000). Major Concepts of Socio-Economics and Family Sizes. Wadsworth Publishing Company

18. Demographic and Health Survey. (2008). Abuja, Nigeria

19. Dibaba B. & Mitike G. (2016). Factors Influencing Desired Family Size Among Residents of Assela Town. Journal of Women's Health Care, 5(6), 1-8

20. Ebenuwa-Okoh E.E., Osakwe R.N., & Oluwole F. (2004). Child Labour, Its Consequences on the Overall Development of the Girl Child. In V.T. Jike (Ed.), The Scourge of Child Labour in Nigeria: A Book of Readings (pp. 63-71). Nigerian Sociological Society

21. Eboh A., Akpata G.O., & Owoseni J.S. (2017). Socio-Economic Impact of Family Size Preference on Married Couples in Kogi State University Community, Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria. American Journal of Sociological Research, 7(4), 99-108

22. Eriemo N.A. (2004). Elitism and the Family-Size Question: The Demand for Children Across University Workers. In V.T. Jike (Ed.), The Scourge of Child Labour in Nigeria: A Book of Readings (pp. 205-222). Nigerian Sociological Society

23. Fafunwa A.B. (1974). History of Education in Nigeria. George Allen and Unwin

24. Henry F. (2001). Global Population and Economic Imbalances. Prentice Hall

25. James G. & Isiugo-Abanihe U. (2010). Adolescents' Reproductive Motivations and Family Size Preferences in North-Western Nigeria. Asian Journal of Medical Sciences, 2(5), 218-222

26. Jones L.A. (2015). Family Size and Its Socio-Economic Implications in the Sunyani

27. Kamal A. & Pervaiz M.K. (2011). Factors Affecting the Family Size in Pakistan: Clog-Log Regression Model Analysis. Journal of Statistics, 18, 29-53

28. Kaur H. (2000). Impact of Income and Education on Fertility. The Journal of Family Welfare, 4(1), 70-76

29. Kerlinger F.N. (1992). Foundations of Behavioural Research (3rd ed.). Harcourt Brace College Publishers

30. Kessel B. (2018). Economics on Order, Family Size and Achievement. University of Chicago Press

31. Knodel J. (2018). Family Size and Children's Education in Thailand: Evidence from a National Sample. Demography, 28(1), 119-131

32. Kpakpor M. (2015). Nigeria to Eradicate Poverty by 2010. The Nigerian Tribune, October 16, p.7

33. LeGrand T. & Mbacke C. (2003). Teenage Pregnancy and Child Health in the Urban Sahel. Studies in Family Planning, 24(3), 137-149

34. Markson J. (2003). Sociology. Macmillan Publishing Company

35. Mokomane Z. (2012). Anti-Poverty Family-Focused Policies in Developing Countries. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA)

36. National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). (2012). Nigeria Poverty Profile Report, 2010

37. National Population Commission (NPC). (2004). National Population Census Report 2012

38. National Population Commission (NPC) & ICF Macro. (2016)

39. National Population Commission of Nigeria & Health Policy Project. (2015). Nigeria's 2004 National Policy on Population for Sustainable Development: Implementation Assessment Report. Futures Group, Health Policy Project

40. Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. (2003). Calverton, Maryland: National Population Commission and ORC Macro

41. Nyenke C. (2004). Socio-Psychological Analysis of Child Labour in Port Harcourt. In V.T. Jike (Ed.), The Scourge of Child Labour in Nigeria: A Book of Readings (pp. 131-147). Nigerian Sociological Society

42. Ojo S.S. & Adesina A.S. (2014). Women Empowerment and Fertility Management in Nigeria: A Study of Lafia Area of Nasarawa State. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5(26), 1-14. MCSER Publishing, Rome, Italy

43. Okolo N.C. & Okolo C.A. (2016). Factors Influencing the Choice of Family Size Amongst Female Health Professionals in UDUTH Sokoto. International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Reviews, 4(1), 159-166

44. Psacharopoulos G. & Woodhall M. (1997). Education for Development: An Analysis of Investment Choices. Oxford University Press

45. Ross C.E., Mirowsky I.J., & Goldsteen K. (1990). The Impact of the Family on Health: The Decade in Review. The Journal of Marriage and Family, 52, 1059-1078

46. Safdar S., Sharif M., Hussain S., & Arasheed S. (2007). Perceptions and Realities About Family Size and Son Preference in Urban Areas of District Faisalabad (Pakistan). Journal of Agriculture and Social Sciences, 3(3), 83-86

47. Sahleyesus D. (2005). Attitudes Toward Family Size Preferences Among Urban Ethiopians. PSC Discussion Papers Series, 19(10), 1-31

48. Thompson E. (2021). Family Size Preferences. International Encyclopedia of Social and Behavioural Sciences, 5347-5350

49. Tinker A., Finn K., & Epp J.E. (2000). Improving Women's Health: Issues and Interventions. The World Bank

50. Todaro M.P. (1977). Economics for a Developing World. Longman

51. UNESCO. (1998). Annual Report January-December 31, 1997. Paris: UNESCO

52. Wu X. & Li L. (2012). Family Size and Maternal Health: Evidence from the One-Child Policy in China. Journal of Population Economics, 25(4), 1341-1364

53. Zimmer, Z., Hermalin, A. I., & Lin, H. S. (2014). Whose education counts? The impact of grown children's education on the physical functioning of their parents in Taiwan. Asia-Pacific Regional Conference for the International Year of Older Persons, 146.

Downloads

Published

2026-05-05

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Socio-economic factors and family size in Odukpani Local Government, Cross River State, Nigeria. (2026). Multi-Disciplinary Journal of Research and Development Perspectives, 13(1), 203-218. https://mjrdp-unical.org.ng/index.php/home/article/view/85

Most read articles by the same author(s)

Similar Articles

71-73 of 73

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.