INTENTION TO USE MATERNITY WAITING HOME AND ITS PREDICTORS AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN KEDIDA GAMELA WOREDA, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA.

Abstract

Background: Maternal health is one of the major health challenges worldwide. In Ethiopia, access to comprehensive emergency obstetric care is limited. Women staying in maternity waiting home are able to easily access services for essential childbirth care, obstetric or newborn complications at the nearby facilities. However, little was understood about intention to use maternity waiting home and its predictors among pregnant women in low-income countries like Ethiopia and particularly in kedida gamela woreda where many of established maternity waiting home stayed empty. Moreover, no study was conducted on intention to use maternity waiting home and its predictors in, southern part of Ethiopia. Objective: To assess the prevalence of intention to use maternity waiting home and its predictors among pregnant women in kedida Gamela woreda, South Ethiopia. Methods: A community based cross-sectional study design was used among random sample of 611 pregnant women in kedida gamela woreda from March 5-30/ 2019. A structured and pretested questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data were coded and entered into Epi data manager and exported into SPSS Version 20 software for analysis. Descriptive statistics such as frequency, proportion, mean ans standard deviation was used to describe all relevant independent variables in relation to the outcome variable Bivariable logistic regression analyses were done to see the association between each independent variable and the outcome variable. Moreover, multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to control for all possible confounders and to identify independent predictors of intention to use maternity waiting home. Odds ratio along with 95% CI was estimated to measure the strength of association. Level of statistical significance was declared at p-value < 0.05. Results were displayed using table and figures. Result: The prevalence of intention to use maternity waiting home was 58.4 %, [95% CI :( 54.5, 62.5)]. Pregnant women who attended primary education [AOR=1.574,95%CI(1.02,2.429)], previous place of birth[AOR=1.702,95%CI(1.015,2.855)],indirectattitudetowardsintention[AOR=1.541,95%CI(1.02,2.33 )], indirect subjective norm towards intention [AOR=2.168,95%CI(1.363,3.449)], direct perceived behavioral control towards intention [AOR=1.547,95%(1.017,2.355)], indirect perceived behavioral control towards intention [AOR=2.181,95%(1.37,3.474)] were significantly associated with intention to use maternity waiting home. Conclusion: The prevalence of intention to use maternity waiting home was high in the study area. Educational status, previous place of birth, in direct attitude towards maternity home, perceived behavioral control and indirect subjective norm are highly relevant to intention to use of maternity home. Thus, empowering pregnant mothers to overcome social pressure or resistance and programs targeting at changing negative attitude towards maternity waiting home need to be strengthened.