PARTNER INVOLVEMENT ON BIRTH PREPAREDNESS AND COMPLICATION READINESS AND ITS ASSOCIATED FACTORS IN BABILE WOREDA, EAST HARARGHE ZONE, OROMIA REGION, EASTERN ETHIOPIA.

Abstract

Background: Globally, half million women dies annually due to complications related to pregnancy and child birth. Birth preparedness is most vital strategy for implementing safe motherhood programs. Its effectiveness can be determined by partner involvement due to eminent decision making power of the partner on the property and daily life of each family member. However, there was scanty information on the level of partner involvement. Objective: To assess the level of partner involvement on birth preparedness and complication readiness and its associated factors in Babile Woreda, Oromia Region, Eastern Ethiopia. Method: A community-based cross-sectional study was employed among 498 randomly selected participants from December 17-28, 2020. Pre-tested and structured questionnaires were used through face-to-face interviews to collect the data. The data were entered into Epi Data version 3.2 and exported to SPSS version 25 for cleaning and analysis. Binary logistic regression model was used to assess the associations between dependent and independent variables. Odds Ratio (AOR) along with 95% CI was used to determine predictors of partner’s involvement on birth preparedness and complication readiness. A P- Value of < 0.05 was considered as the criterion for statistical significance. The fitness of the model was tested by the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of fit test. Results: The overall level of partner involvement in birth preparedness and complications readiness was 54.8% (95% CI: 50.00, 59.00). Being an urban resident (AOR=1.96, 95% CI:1.11, 3.48), having less than three children (AOR=2.86, 95% CI:1.59, 5.13), having good knowledge of danger signs of pregnancy (AOR=2.12, 95% CI=1.06, 4.23), good knowledge of danger signs of labor and childbirth (AOR=2.5, 95%CI=1.31, 4.86), good knowledge of danger signs of postpartum (AOR=1.95, 95%CI=1.1, 3.4), and good knowledge of danger signs of new born babies (AOR=2.4, 95% CI=1.24, 4.68) were positively and significantly associated factors with partner involvement in Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness practice. Conclusion: The level of partner involvement in birth preparedness and complications readiness practice was low. Therefore, improving awareness about BPCR enhances considerably the involvement of partners in maternal, child and neonatal health care and it needs due attention for partners’ wives by policy makers and other responsible bodies in countries.