FAMILY HEALTH SERVICE UTILIZATION AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS OF HEALTH EXTENSION PROGRAM AMONG MOTHERS DELIVERED IN THE LAST ONE YEAR IN AFDEM WOREDA, SOMALI REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Introduction: The family health package is part of Health Extension Program comprises evidence based interventions selected to address the major maternal, neonatal and child health problems and delivered at health facility and community levels. This package mainly facilitates utilization of the maternal, neonatal and child health service. However, there is limited study done indicating utilization of family health service of HEP package in pastoralist areas especially in Ethiopian Somali Regional State. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess family health service utilization and associated factors of health extension program among mothers delivered in the last one year. Methods and materials: The study was conducted in Afdem Woreda Ethiopia Somali Regional State from February 18 to March 6/2017. A Cross-sectional study design was applied to sample size of 421 mothers. The mothers were selected by systematic random sampling. Pre tested structured questionnaire was used to collect data from study participants. The collected data was entered to EPIDATA version 3.02 and then export to spss20 and analyzed it. Result of the study participants were described and presented using frequency, percentage, summary measure, table and graph. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression model ware used to identify factors associated with Family Health Service utilization. Result: Response rate of this study were 414(98.3%). Out of interviewed mothers 25.1% with 95% CI (21.1%-29.5%) of the respondents practiced at least three family health service components. Urban place of residence(AOR=3.8, 95%CI: 1.5-9.9 at P=0.006), secondary and above education status(AOR=4.6, 95%CI: 1.5-18.9 at p=0.035), mother visited by HEWs(AOR=3.1, 95%CI: 1.6-6.3 with p=0.001), mothers with satisfactory knowledge on family health service package (AOR=5.8, 95%CI: 2.8-10.1 at p<0.0001) and mothers participation in HEP activities (AOR=2.8, 95%CI: 1.5-5.4 at p=0.002) were significant factors associated with utilization of family health service. Conclusion: The proportion of family health service utilization was low. Mothers visited by HEWs & participated in HEP were more likely to utilize family health service. Therefore, HEWs should visit to all mothers and inform to participation in HEP activities.