Determinants of Low Delivery Rate under Skilled Birth Attendants in Isingiro District, Western Uganda.

Abstract

ARINAITWE ABERT TIBBS (2011-M121-10003) Determinants of Low Delivery Rate under Skilled Birth Attendants in Isingiro District, Western Uganda. Although mothers utilise ANC optimally during pregnancy, increasing numbers have been noted to deliver from TBAs in Isingiro district yet government instituted a ban on such un-skilled persons. A major barrier to attainment of MDG 4 and 5 is attributed to continued delivery of mothers under un-skilled birth attendants in developing countries. As a result, multi-lateral organisations like UNICEF, WHO among others have developed policy guidelines being adopted by affected countries to reduce maternal and infant mortality resulting from un-skilled deliveries. A research survey was conducted in Isingiro district from July to August 2012 targeting mothers of a reproductive age. The goal of the study was to ascertain factors associated with low delivery rates under skilled birth attendants in Isingiro district so as to generate measures such that if adopted by stakeholders, would lead to increased utilisation of skilled birth attendants. The objectives were to: establish the common places of delivery in Isingiro district; establish the factors influencing choice of place of delivery among mothers in Isingiro district; and to assess the health systems‟ response towards improving up-take of skilled deliveries in Isingiro district. A total of 262 mothers of reproductive age were interviewed (86.4%) as well as 10 key informants who included the DHO, heads of different health facilities and maternity wards in two sub-counties of Isingiro town-council and Nyamuyanja. The data were entered and analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0. Chi-square was applied to determine the strength of association of different independent variables. The factors significantly associated with low utilisation of skilled birth attendants were as follows: location of the mother (rural) x2=7.074, p value=0.000, occupation of the mother (peasant) (x2=82.337,pvalue= 0.000) low level of education (illiterate and primary) (x2=84.474,p-value=0.000), the cost of attending ANC and delivery (poor women) (x2=41.478,p-value=0.000), place of attending ANC (x2=12.717, p-value=0.002) Key Words: Determinants, Low Delivery Rate, Skilled Birth Attendants, Isingiro District