Assessment of Factors Affecting Utilization of Antenatal and Postnatal Care Services in Kasese District of Western Uganda.

Abstract

Background: Utilization of Antenatal care (ANC) and Postnatal care (PNC) services can greatly impact on the major causes of infant and significantly affect trends of maternal and child mortality. Antenatal care may play an indirect role in reducing maternal mortality by encouraging women to deliver with assistance of a skilled birth attendant or in a health facility. Postnatal care may reduce both maternal and infant mortality by enabling healthcare workers to mitigate key risks women and infants may face after delivery.

Methodology: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study involving both quantitative and qualitative methods in Kasese District. The study targeted mothers between 15-49 years of age. Logistic regression analyses were used to inform association between the independent variable and dependent variables whose p-values were less than 0.05 were considered predictive within the study.

Results: The results of the study revealed that utilization of at least one ANC visit was at 98.4% however only 16.8% completed the four recommended visits. PNC utilization was at a minimal 38.2%. Logistic regression analysis revealed a number of causal-effect relationships. At individual level: ANC was associated to Age (β=-0.136, p=0.03); mothers occupation (β=0.430, p=0.03); husband’s occupation (β=0.238, p=0.014); Family income (β=0.015, p=0.02) and Number of children (β=-0.015, p=0.04) while PNC was associated to level of mother’s education (β=0.780, p=0.00); mother’s occupation (β=0.257, p=0.014); and number of children (β=-0.265, p=0.04). At Health facility level: ANC was associated to quality of care/treatment by health workers (β=0.568, p=0.01); whereas PNC was associated with distance from Health center (β=-0.425, p=0.02) and time stayed in Health center (β=-0.494, p=0.00). At community level both ANC and PNC was associated to awareness and training availability in community (β=0.464, p=0.03) and (β=0.592, p=0.00) respectively.

Conclusion: Age, educational level, parity and awareness among the study population were common predictors of utilization for both ANC and PNC services.