Differentials and determinants of reproductive health care use among Kenyan Women

Abstract

The study was aimed at identifying socio-economic and demographic factors affecting the utilization of reproductive health care among Kenyan mothers of reproductive ages. The data were drawn from the 1993 KDHS. Both cross tabulation and logistic regression analysis were used as statistical tools. The study found that the use of reproductive health care services and choices of services varied according to a number of socio-economic and demographic factors. The number of tetanus injections received for births varied strongly according to both mother's and father's educational level, type of place of residence, father's occupation, maternal age, children ever born , marital status and province of residence. Similarly, the type of prenatal care received before birth varied according to both mother's and father's educational level, father's occupation, children ever born and province of residence. Furthermore, significant variations were found between place of delivery and each dependent variable considered. Similarly, significant variations were observed between source of prenatal care and each of the dependent variables considered. For the source of delivery care, it was only earning cash for work which did not cause significant variation. The study found that among aiit.nths adoption of at least two TT injections was significantly influenced by: the province of residence, children ever born and work status of the mother. Similarly) the factors which affected receiving adequate prenatal care among all the births were:- children ever born, mother s educational level, maternal age, province of residence and marital status of the mother. Factors which affected delivery at hospitals or clinics for the same births were: the province of residence, children ever born, work status and marital status of the mother. Factors which affected receiving prenatal care from doctors or nurses for all births were: the province of residence, mother's educational level, children ever born, maternal age and marital status of the mother. Factors which affected receiving delivery care from doctors or nurses for all births were: the province of residence, mother's educational level, type of place of residence, receiving prenatal care from doctors or nurses, children ever born, marital status and work status of the mother. The study also found that among births to married mothers, adoption of at least two IT injections was significantly influenced by: the province of residence, children ever born and father's educational level. Similarly, factors which affected receiving adequate prenatal care for births to married mothers were: the province of residence, mother's educational level, father's educational level, children ever born, maternal age and marital status. Factors which affected delivering at hospitals or clinics for births to married mothers were: the province of residence, mother's educational level, type of place of residence, father's occupation and work status of the mother, father's educational level and children ever born. Factors which affected receiving prenatal care from doctors or nurses for births to married mothers were: the province of residence, children ever born, mother'S educational eve. and maternal age. Factors which affected receiving delivery care from doctors or nurses for births to married mothers were: the province of residence, mother's educational level.type of place of residence, receiving prenatal care from doctors or nurses, father's occupation, work status of the mother, father's educational level and children ever born. Recommendations for policy interventions and academic interest are given. For example, it is recommended that for more births to be born in hospitals or clinics such that more births be delivered at hospitals or clinics, programmes should focus on those mothers who have no education and those who have primary level education only, rural residents, those not working, those who have given birth to at least five children, those who never married and those whose partner has never worked or has worked in agriculture. Furthermore, the need for research to investigate why maternal age has a positive effect on receiving adequate prenatal care is called for.