Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Cameroon

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Maternal morbidity and mortality related to childbirth has remained a great challenge globally. One important strategy put in place to reduce maternal mortality related to childbirth is to increase number of women who deliver in a health facility (hospital). This study’s objectives were to determine the proportion of women who deliver in a health facility, assess factors influencing facility-based delivery service utilisation and determine the relationship between facility-based delivery service utilisation and participant’s socio-demographic characteristics in the Nguti Health District (NHD).

METHODS: A community based cross-sectional study was carried-out among women who delivered at least once in NHD. Multistage sampling technique was used to select participants and data collected using a structured interviewer administered questionnaire. Data collected was analysed using Epi Info version 3.5.4.

RESULTS: A total of 329 women took part in the study. The proportion of women who delivered in health facilities was 68.7%. Most women (59.0%) acknowledged having a health facility in their community with 145 (44.5%) women saying it takes more than 120 minutes to trek to the nearest health facility from their homes. The median monthly income of participants was 20,000FCFA (IQR: 15,000-40,000) and there was a statistical significant association with income and delivering in health facility.

CONCLUSION: Proportion of women using health facilities during delivery was above average, factors influencing health facility utilization during delivery include low average monthly income, traditional values of burying placenta held by women, distance of health facilities from women’s home, sudden onset of labour and availability of TBA’s in communities. There was a statistically significant association between having high monthly income and health facility delivery service utilisation. Women needs education on advantages of delivering in health facilities and other studies need to be conducted for much longer durations and involving larger samples of women to determine other factors associated to health facility utilisation.

Note: This work is partly presented at the Event on International Conference Gynecology, Obstetrics & Reproductive Health, Aug 23-24, 2018 held at Amsterdam, Netherlands