Factors associated with home deliveries in Thekerani Area in Thyolo District
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Date
2011-03-01
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Abstract
The study aimed at exploring factors associated with home delivery in Thekerani Area in Thyolo District. In order to achieve the objective, a quantitative descriptive design was utilized for the study. The target population consisted of women attending under-five, postnatal, and family planning clinics at Thekerani Health Centre in Thyolo district, located in the southern region of Malawi. A convenient sampling technique was used to select a sample of 253 mothers. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16 was used to analyze the data. Descriptive statistics such as range, means, frequencies, and percentages were utilized to analyze the data. The results indicated that 80% of the mothers were in the age group of 20-35 years with an age range of 13-44 and mean age of 29 years. Sixty-two percent of the mothers had some primary education while 32% had no education. The study revealed four main factors influencing women to have a home delivery. Seventy-eight percent of the mothers indicated long-walking distance to a health facility compounded by lack of transport; 31% of the mothers mentioned traditional beliefs such as trusting in the experience of elderly women, and 31% reported deep rooted beliefs in herbs; 52% indicated lack of financial support while in hospital and poor attitudes of health workers whereby 40% of the women indicated hostile behavior of health personnel towards patients in labor and 38% of the women indicated that women are left to deliver on their own without supervision. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the government and non-government organizations should provide bicycle ambulances to each group village headman for easy transportation to health facilities; Awareness campaigns on birth preparedness and complication readiness should be conducted. Efforts should be made to reduce the distance to EMOnC services by providing infrastructure for delivery services with skilled attendance. Government through Thyolo District Hospital should consider upgrading existing primary health care centres such as Nkhata-ombere and Nsabwe Health Centres to provide EMOnC services. Improving financial status of women in the rural areas is also recommended. Thyolo District Assembly should influence local Non Government Organizations (NGOs) to provide capital funds (in form of loans) to the women in the area to engage in Income Generating Activities (IGAs) in order to strengthen their economic/bargaining power to influence place and timing of delivery. The community should be educated on combating harmful practices. Supportive supervision is also recommended in order to improve health workers poor attitudes towards laboring women.