Assessing the Uptake of Supervised Delivery in the Akuapem South District in the Eastern Region of Ghana

Appiagyei  Buabeng; Stephen  Manortey

doi:10.4236/oalib.1106131

Stephen Manortey^*, Appiagyei Buabeng

Abstract: Introduction: In spite of the national target of achieving at least an 80% skilled delivery, skilled health providers attended to just 56.2% of deliveries in 2016 according to the Ghana Health Service annual report. The highest proportion of ANC registrants in the Akuapem South District in the Eastern Region of Ghana who sought skilled attendance at birth for the past 3 years has been about 36% as recorded in 2017. The fundamental factors responsible for this low skilled delivery in the district are poorly understood. The aim of this study, however, was to explore the factors that contribute to the uptake of skilled delivery in the Akuapem South District. Methodology: This cross-sectional study involved 371 women in the reproductive ages (15 - 49 years) who had delivered within the last 12 months preceding January 2019, and have been residents in the research communities during the period of pregnancy. A convenient sampling technique was used to select all 371 respondents from 15 communities. Structured questionnaires were used for the interviews by trained staff. Results: The prevalence of skilled delivery among respondents in this district as revealed by this study was 65.77% despite the 97.04% reported ANC attendance for at least once. Significant influencers of the uptake of skilled delivery were; maternal age, mother and partner’s educational level, partner’s occupation, the attitude of health staff/midwives, distance to the nearest health facility, transportation fare, and availability of medical equipment in the nearest health facility. Conclusion: Even though the overall ANC attendance was high, including women who made more than three visits, uptake of supervised delivery is a major challenge. There is, therefore, the need for the Akuapem South District Health Directorate to fully strengthen the adopted WHO’s goal that focuses on ANC at the individual facility levels.

Keywords: Skilled Delivery, ANC, Akuapem South District, Ghana

Cite this paper: Manortey, S. and Buabeng, A. (2020) Assessing the Uptake of Supervised Delivery in the Akuapem South District in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Open Access Library Journal, 7, 1-21. doi: 10.4236/oalib.1106131.

References

[1] Safe Motherhood Initiative. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12317829

[2] Cham, M., Sundby, J. and Vangen, S. (2005) Maternal Mortality in Rural Gambia: A Qualitative Study on Access to Emergency Obstetric Care. Reproductive Health, 2, 1-8.
https://doi.org/10.1186/1742-4755-2-3

[3] Ghana Health Service (2016) Annual Report.
https://www.ghanahealthservice.org/downloads/GHS_ANNUAL_REPORT_2016_n.pdf

[4] Ghana Statistical Service (2014) The Ghana Demographic and Health Survey 2014.
https://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR307/FR307.pdf

[5] Saifuddin, A., Swati, S., Nicole, W. and Kaveri, M. (2019) The Impact of a Nurse Mentoring Program on the Quality of Labour and Delivery Care at Primary Health Care Facilities in Bihar, India. BMJ Global Health, 4, e001767. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2019-001767

[6] Thaddeus, S. and Maine, D. (1994)Too Far to Walk: Maternal Mortality in Context. Social Science & Medicine, 38, 1091-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-9536(94)90226-7

[7] Mwabu, G.M. (1986) Health Care Decisions at the Household Level: Results of a Rural Health Survey in Kenya. Social Science & Medicine, 22, 315-319.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-9536(86)90129-2

[8] Ghana Statistical Service (2011) Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey of Ghana (MICS, 2011). http://www2.statsghana.gov.gh/nada/index.php/catalog/52

[9] Asante-Sarpong, H., Owusu, A.Y., Saravanan, S., Appiah, E. and Abu, M. (2016) Determinants of Use of Supervised Delivery Care under Ghana’s Fee Exemption Policy for Maternal Healthcare: The Case of the Central Region. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 16, 172.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-016-0960-6

[10] Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (2003)
https://www.dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR152/FR152.pdf

[11] Pavalavalli, G. and Ramesh, B.M. (1997) Maternal Education and the Utilization of Maternal and Child Health Services in India. National Family Health Survey Subject Reports.
https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10125/3472/1/NFHSsubjrpt005.pdf

[12] NHIS Annual Report (2012)
http://www.nhis.gov.gh/files/2012%20NHIA%20ANNUAL%20REPORT.pdf

[13] World Health Organization. Regional Office for the Western Pacific (?2002)? National Safe Motherhood Action Plan 2001-2005: Western Pacific Region. WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Manila. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/206786

[14] Buor, D. (2002) Distance as a Predominant Factor in the Utilization of Health Services in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana. GeoJournal, 56, 145-157. https://www.jstor.org/stable/41147677
https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022452311911

[15] Blay, D. (1996) Service Utilization at the Kintampo Health Centre: Implication for Policy Formulation. http://197.255.68.203/handle/123456789/6058

[16] Akwapim South District (2010)
http://www2.statsghana.gov.gh/docfiles/2010_District_Report/Eastern/AKWAPIM%20SOUTH.pdf

[17] Cochran, W.G. (1977) Sampling Techniques. 3rd Edition, Wiley, New York, 428 p.
https://hwbdocuments.env.nm.gov/Los%20Alamos%20National%20Labs/General/14447.pdf

[18] Gudu, W. and Addo, B. (2017) Factors Associated with Utilization of Skilled Service Delivery among Women in Rural Northern Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 17, 159. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-017-1344-2

[19] Ogbo, F., Dhami, M. and Ude, E. (2019) Enablers and Barriers to the Utilization of Antenatal Care Services in India. International Journal Environmental Research in Public Health, 16, 3152. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16173152

[20] Atinga, R.A., Baku, A.A. and Adongo, P.B. (2014) Drivers of Prenatal Care Quality and Uptake of Supervised Delivery Services in Ghana. Annals of Medical and Health Science Research, 4, 264-271. https://doi.org/10.4103/2141-9248.141970

[21] Moller, M., Patten, J., Hansen, C. and Say, L. (2019) Monitoring Maternal and Newborn Health Outcomes Globally: A Brief History of Key Events and Initiatives. Tropical Medicine & International Health, 24, 1342-1368. https://doi.org/10.1111/tmi.13313