Abstract:
Introduction: Obstetric fistula is an abnormal opening between a woman‟s vagina and bladder
and/or rectum often developed during child birth when the infant‟s head descends into the
maternal pelvis and cannot pass through it. It is associated with teenage status at delivery,
primiparity, prolonged labor, home delivery, and short status at delivery. It is both preventable
and treatable.
Objective: Assessment of knowledge on obstetrics fistula prevention and its associated factors
among young women‟s of Delanta District, Amhara region, North-East Ethiopia.
Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted on 597 young women
between the age of 15 and 19 in six rural and one urban areas of Delanta District. Cluster
sampling technique was used to recruit study participants. A structured Amharic questionnaire
was interviewed by six Health Extension after having two days of training on it. Data was
entered and cleaned by EpiData-3.02 and analyzed by SPSS-20. The study was conducted from
March 22-31/2016.
Result: The result of the study showed knowledge deficit on obstetrics fistula prevention
(40.5%) with more urban women (55.4%) have sufficient knowledge on obstetrics fistula
prevention than the rural (37.8%). Multivariate regression analysis showed that participants
living in urban areas were 1.814 times more likely to have sufficient knowledge (AOR=1.814,
95% CI (1.018-3.233)) than their rural counter parts. Knowledge on obstetrics fistula prevention
were under estimated by history of pregnancy whereby non-exposed women‟s were 87% less
likely to have sufficient knowledge (AOR= 0.131, 95% CI (0.078-0.220)) and distance to the
nearby health center where those travelling more than an hour foot distance were 66% less likely
to have sufficient knowledge (AOR=0.341(0.188-0.618)). In addition participants‟ occupation
and awareness on obstetrics complications were significantly associated.
Conclusion: The finding indicates young women‟s knowledge deficit on prevention of obstetrics
fistula in the areas. Living in urban areas, exposure for pregnancy, awareness on obstetrics
complications, women‟s occupation and distance to the nearby health center were the factors
associated with knowledge status of young women in obstetrics fistula prevention.
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Recommendation: The district health office and none governmental organizations which are
engaged in reproductive health program in the area should give special attention for young
women to increase their preventive maternal health knowledge on obstetrics fistula.
