RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 SP3-36 Utilisation of maternal health services among women of reproductive age group in a rural district, southern Nigeria
JF Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
JO J Epidemiol Community Health
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP A418
OP A418
DO 10.1136/jech.2011.142976o.36
VO 65
IS Suppl 1
A1 Agogbuo, M
A1 Akpovi, S
A1 Achime, N
A1 Bello, S
YR 2011
UL http://jech.bmj.com/content/65/Suppl_1/A418.2.abstract
AB Introduction The Maternal mortality ratio is unacceptably high in Nigeria. A major remote cause of maternal death in Nigeria is poor utilisation of health services by women of reproductive age group. This study sought to determine the level of utilisation and factors associated with the use of maternal health services among women of reproductive age group in Egor LGA of Edo State.Methodology A cross-sectional descriptive survey was carried out among 349 respondents in four communities. A multistage sampling technique was used to select respondents from whom data were collected using a pre-tested, interviewer-administered, semi-structured questionnaire and an observational checklist. Factors were identified with bivariate and multivariate analysis.Results The greatest preference was for Traditional Birth Attendants (52.2%), followed by health centre (43.5%). Reasons for preference of choices included cheap cost (52.6%) and safety (37.8%). Reasons for dissatisfaction with services at the health centre were: lack of doctors (54.0%), poor attitude of health workers (27.2%) and lack of drugs (13.6%). At bivariate analysis, factors that were significantly associated with utilisation were: respondents' education (p<0.0001), occupation (p<0.0001), distance of respondents' home from health facility (p<0.0001) and perception of adequacy of sitting of health facility (p<0.0001). Farmers (Adjusted OR, AOR 0.28, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.61) and the unemployed (AOR 0.28, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.78) were less likely to patronise health centres than civil servants.Conclusion Jobs should be created to increase earning capacity of residents of Edo State in order to improve utilisation of maternal health services.