EDUCATIONAL AWARENESS OF FACTORS REDUCING MATERNAL MORTALITY IN RURAL COMMUNITIES IN OGUN STATE NIGERIA

 

Dominic Azuh1*, Akunna Azuh2, Moses Akanbi3, Paul Adekola4, Davies Adeloye5, Lanre Amodu6

1Dr., Covenant University Ota, The Nigeria, dominic.azuh@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

2Mrs., Covenant University Ota, The Nigeria, akunna.azuh@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

3D.r, Covenant University Ota, The Nigeria, moses.akanbi@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

4Mr., Covenant University Ota, The Nigeria, paul.adekola@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

5Dr., Covenant University Ota, The Nigeria, davies.adeloye@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

6Dr., Covenant University Ota, The Nigeria, lanre.amodu@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

*corresponding author

 

Abstract

Maternal mortality represents a sensitive index of the prevailing health conditions and general socio-economic development of a nation. Despite all the global and national safe motherhood initiatives/ conferences geared towards improving maternal health such as the International Safe Motherhood Initiative, 1987 in Nairobi Kenya, International Conference on Population and Development, 1994 in Cairo Egypt, Fourth world Conference on Women, 1995 in Beijing China, United Nations MDG-5 2000, SDGs – 3 2016; and its local national equivalent in Nigeria such as National Safe Motherhood Conference, Abuja 1990 among others, developing countries have been particularly worst hit, with Nigeria rated second globally at 560 maternal deaths per 100,000 populations in 2013, only second to India. There are still uncertainties as to the extent of this burden owing to current challenges with information and data collation in Nigeria, especially in rural and inaccessible areas. The study aimed at educational awareness of non–medical factors associated with maternal mortality reduction and to proffer policy guidelines for informed policy intervention. We analyzed secondary data from the 2010 Covenant University project on non-medical determinants of maternal mortality in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area, Ogun State. The study employed an informant approach questionnaire design, and information on maternal mortality was recorded from 360 eligible respondents which constituted the sample size and descriptive statistics and regression analysis were further applied. The results and discussion of selected variables are presented. The study shows that majority of the respondents married between the ages of 25 and 44 with a proportion of 64.2 percent. However, those between the ages of 45-54 and 55 and above account for 17.5 and 12.5 percent respectively. As for the deceased spouse, an overwhelming proportion of the deceased spouses got married below 30 years (64.2%). Among the deceased spouse who married between the age bracket of 30-39 and 40 and above years account for least proportion (23%) and (12.8%) respectively. Employment status of respondents showed that those not working, that is unemployed and those who are unskilled registered 22.5 percent and their deceased counter parts in the same working status accounts for a higher proportion of approximately two-fifths (39.9).Among the deceased counter parts trading account for 25.3 percent, peasant farming 21.7 percent and artisans 13.1 percent respectively. The highest level of education attained by majority of the respondents interviewed was secondary education (48.1%), followed by primary education (28.6%). However, respondents with no school and post secondary education account for16.1% and 7.2% respectively. When reference was made to the education of their deceased spouses, it was observed that 50% of them had only primary education followed by those who attained secondary school (26.7%) and those who never went to school (19.7%). The educational attainment of the deceased was very poor when compared to their husbands in all categories. Distance is a very important factor in the utilization of health facility. Slightly above three-fourths of respondents (75.2%) have to travel 6 km and beyond to access or avail themselves this facility. In the study area, treatment costs was mainly born by the respondents (49.7%) and spouse’s relatives and friends (36.7%) Regression analysis results showed that ‘person who pays the treatment costs’ (p=0.003) and ‘place of consultation’ (p=0.000) were non-medical significant factors influencing maternal mortality reduction. The findings suggest that in a rural community setting with depleted health care system, empowering and improving the status of women may reduce maternal mortality and prompt better Safe Motherhood Initiative.

Keywords: Maternal mortality, health care, non-medical factors, informant approach, rural-communities


FULL TEXT PDF

CITATION: Abstracts & Proceedings of ADVED 2017 - 3rd International Conference on Advances in Education and Social Sciences, 9-11 October 2017- Istanbul, Turkey

ISBN: 978-605-82433-0-9