Factors affecting utilisation of health facilities for child delivery among women in Uganda

Abstract

The general objective of the study was to establish the effect of socio-economic and demographic factors on mother’s place of delivery during child birth. A secondary analysis of the (2006) Uganda Demographic and Health Survey was conducted. A sample of 5004 women in the reproductive age group 15-49 who had ever given birth was used. Frequency distributions, cross tabulations with chi-square tests and logistic regression were used to determine determinants of place of delivery during child birth.

The study revealed that household wealth, religion, age and education of the mother, partner’s education, place of residence and region were significant factors that affected place of delivery during child birth. Women with at least secondary level of education were more likely to utilize health facilities for delivery; women residing in urban areas were more likely to deliver in health facilities compared to those in rural areas. Utilization of health facilities for child delivery increased with increase in wealth as well as partners’ education status. Utilization of health facilities for child delivery reduced with age of the mother. Women residing in northern region had reduced odds of delivering from the health facility compared to those in other regions.

Based on the these findings, the government through the current universal primary and secondary education should focus on enrolling all eligible children and eliminating school dropouts ensuring that boys and girls attain at least secondary level of education that can enable them earn a living; the government through its line ministries should develop interventions to increase the awareness of reproductive health issues and targeted messages for the different regions due to their differentials in utilizing health facilities for child delivery; it should extend health facilities to the communities in all the regions in Uganda to increase on access to health care services; the government should work with religious institutions and use their structures to pass on reproductive health information as well as messages on development programs. Finally, the government should create jobs for its citizens to improve their house hold income that will subsequently improve the utilization of health facilities for child delivery.