Factors affecting utilisation of maternal healthcare facilities in Ethiopia

Abstract

Improving maternal and newborn health requires improved utilisation of maternal healthcare facilities and services. The study’s overall purpose was to explore the factors associated with the utilisation of maternal healthcare facilities in Jimma Zone Serbo woreda of Oromiya National Regional State, Ethiopia. The study established what proportion of women attended different components of maternal healthcare facilitiesin Ethiopia in five years preceding the study. A cross-sectional study of 384 women – selected through multistage techniques – was conducted. Data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire, and analysed using Statistical Program for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0 statistics 17.0. The study found that 93.1%, 85% and 71.1% of the respondents utilised antenatal care (ANC) services, skilled delivery, and postnatal care (PNC) services, respectively. Several factors were found to be associated with the utilisation of maternal healthcare facilities and services in respect of ANC, skilled delivery, and PNC. These included a lack of privacy affecting the quality of care at the facility level, and socio-economic factors, including respondents’ level of education, occupation, income and decision making power.