Determinant Factors Affecting Utilization of Maternal Health Care Services in Rural Ethiopia
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Date
2012-06
Authors
Mehari, Kassu
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Publisher
Addis Abeba university
Abstract
Determinant factors affecting utilization of maternal healthcare services in rural Ethiopia
Kassu Mehari
Addis Ababa University, 2012
Maternal mortality in Ethiopia is one of the highest in the world. In 2006 the maternal
mortality rate was 673 per 100,000 live births (CSA and ORC Macro, 2006). Maternal
mortality ratio is one of the indicators in the MDG that is raising concern in achieving the
set target of reducing the rate by two-third by 2015. Many mothers also suffer from
complications of pregnancy and delivery. In addition to that maternal healthcare service
utilization is far below the acceptable level. The main objective of this study is to identify
the determinant factors affecting utilization of maternal health care services in rural
Ethiopia.The data for the study were taken from the 2011 Ethiopian Demographic and
Health Survey which is a nationally representative survey of women in the age group15-
49 years. Mothers who had atleast one child in the five years before the survey were
included in the analysis. To estimate the effect of the socio-economic and demographic
variables on maternal health service utilization three outcome variables were considered,
these were: use of antenatal care (ANC), delivery care and postnatal care (PNC) services.
The logistic regression was used to develop models based on the outcome variables.
Utilization of maternal healthcare services was found to be very low among non-educated
mothers as compared to those who have atleast primary education. In the logistic
regression model mother‟s age at birth, educational status of the mother, sex of head of
household, household wealth, work status of the mother, region, religion, birth order of
the child and educational status of the husband were found to be indicators of utilization
of delivery care and PNC services in the total sample of mothers. Religion and sex of
household head were not significantly related with ANC use. To increase mother‟s
utilization of health care services and improve maternal health in rural Ethiopia some
crucial steps regarding educating mothers and creating job opportunity for mothers
should be taken. Great attention should be given to those mothers who are living in rural
areas of Ethiopia with no education and in the low economic status group
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Keywords
Health Care Services