Medicina Comunitária e Educação em Saúde

Abstrato

A Qualitative Study on Factors Contributing to Low Institutional Child Delivery Rates in Northern Ghana: The Case of Bawku Municipality

Francis Abugri AKUM

Introduction: Women’s utilization of health care facilities for delivery is an important health issue with regard to the well-being and survival of both the mother and her child during childbirth which has implications on the maternal and child mortality rate in human society. However, in most of the third world countries including Ghana and Bawku Municipality in particular, there are certain factors that inhibit pregnant women in patronizing maternal health facilities during childbirth. Main objective: The main objective of this study was to explore and describe factors hindering utilization of health care institutions for child delivery in the Bawku Municipality. Materials and methods: A cross sectional design was used using one focus group discussions of Nine (9) women in each of the four (4) subdistricts to collect information on women who have just delivered to explore and describe factors hindering utilization of health care institutions for delivery in the Bawku Municipality. Results: Four focus group discussions were performed; one in each of the four subdistricts selected. The study revealed that cultural factors, attitude of health care providers, previous experiences with the health system, long waiting time, negligence of health care workers, alternative delivery services, transport to service facilities and expectations are factors that influenced their utilization of health facilities for delivery. It is however established that since the introduction of the national health insurance scheme, there is no cost to maternal health services. Conclusions: Cultural factors and health services factors which include staff attitude and lack of maternal education during ANC attendance were the most frequently identified contributing factors to the low Utilisation of health institutions for child delivery in this study.