Factors Influencing Services Offered to Women of Reproductive Age by Traditional Birth Attendants in Kayonza Sub-county, Kayunga District.

Abstract

Background: The services offered at child birth contributes greatly to maternal and child health. It is the main determinant of the 180,000 Ugandan mothers who get complications and 500 per 100,000 live births who die during child birth out of 1.2million women who become pregnant every year.(MOH 2005b:8). Objective: To establish the factors influencing services offered to women of reproductive age by traditional birth attendants in Kayonza sub-county Kayunga district in order to suggest functional interventions that would encourage mothers to use services offered by skilled personnel in health facilities. Methodology: Across-section study design was used and data was collected from 240 respondents who had given birth two years prior to the study, using researcher administered questionnaire technique. Data was collected on the background characteristics, TBA service delivery, social demographic, health facility, maternal, and cultural factors. Descriptive, univariate analyses were used in SPSS and frequent tables, and graphs were generated. Findings: The study found out that many mothers 113(47.1%) still use services offered by TBAs during child birth due to their attractive and friendly care that is offered. The study also pointed out factors such as maternal, health facility, cultural and social demographic factors as the main contributing factors towards TBA service delivery. Recommendations: The researcher recommends government to employ a mult-sectral approach to address all these factors if we are to encourage mothers to use health facilities where there are skilled birth attendants for delivery.