Factors That Influence Male Partner Involvement in Emergency Obstetric Care in Fortportal Regional Referral Hospital

Table of Contents

DECLARATION ...................................................................................................................................i

APPROVAL........................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

DEDICATION......................................................................................................................................ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ..................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

LIST OF TABLES..............................................................................................................................vii

LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................................vii

OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS......................................................................................................viii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS..............................................................................................................ix

ABSTRACT..........................................................................................................................................x

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................1

1.0 Introduction.................................................................................................................................1

1.1 Background .................................................................................................................................1

1.2 Problem statement.......................................................................................................................3

1.3 Justification .................................................................................................................................3

1.4 Broad objective ...........................................................................................................................4

1.4.1 Specific objectives of the study ...............................................................................................4

1.6 Conceptual framework of male partner involvement in emergency obstetrics...........................4

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW.......................................................................................6

2.0 Introduction.................................................................................................................................6

2.1 An overview of male involvement in emergency obstetrics.......................................................7

2.2 Factors affecting male involvement in emergency obstetric care...............................................7

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2.2.1 Socio-demographic factors ......................................................................................................7

2.2.2 Cultural factors.........................................................................................................................8

2.2.3 Health Delivery System factors ...............................................................................................8

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY ...........................................................................................10

3.0 Introduction...............................................................................................................................10

3.1 Research Design........................................................................................................................10

3.2 Study setting..............................................................................................................................10

3.3 Study Population.......................................................................................................................10

3.4 Sample Size Calculation ...............................................................................................................10

3.4.1 Inclusion Criteria....................................................................................................................11

3.4.2 Exclusion Criteria ..................................................................................................................11

3.5 Sampling Technique .................................................................................................................11

3.6 Study variables..........................................................................................................................11

3.6.1 Dependent variables (male involvement in emergency obstetric care) .................................11

3.6.2 Independent variable. .............................................................................................................12

3.7 Data Collection techniques .......................................................................................................12

3.8 Quality Control .........................................................................................................................12

3.9 Data analysis.............................................................................................................................12

3.10 Ethical Issues...........................................................................................................................12

3.11 Dissemination of the study results..............................................................................................13

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS ...........................................................................................................14

4.1 Socio-demographic characteristics ...........................................................................................14

4.2 Male involvement in emergency obstetric care ........................................................................19

4.3 Factors affecting level of Male involvement in Emergency Obstetric Care.............................21

4.3.1 Sociodemographic factors......................................................................................................21

4.3.2 Socio-cultural factors.............................................................................................................25

4.3.3 Health facility factors.............................................................................................................27

Accompanying partner to the health facility not more than once ...................................................28

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Adjusted Odds.................................................................................................................................28

CHAPTER FOUR: DISCUSSION .....................................................................................................30

CHAPTER FIVE.................................................................................................................................33

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .............................................................................33

5.1 CONCLUSION.........................................................................................................................33

5.2 RECOMMENDATIONS..........................................................................................................33

REFERENCES....................................................................................................................................35

APPENDIX I: CONSENT FORM......................................................................................................39

APPENDIX II: QUESTIONNAIRE...................................................................................................40

MALE PARTNER INVOLVEMENT IN EMERGENCY OBSTETRIC CARE IN FPRRH.Error!

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SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS..........................Error! Bookmark not defined.

ANTENATAL CARE.....................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

LABOUR AND DELIVERY..........................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

APPENDIX IIII: MAP OF KABAROLE SHOWING STUDY AREA.............................................42

ABSTRACT Background: Male partner involvement has been recognized as a key factor in improving maternal health and reducing maternal mortality in settings where men play key role in decision making in the household. Male partner involvement is one of the strategies that can be used to accelerate the decline in maternal mortality and improve maternal health. The objective of this study was to determine the level of male partner involvement in emergency obstetric care and/or came from home in labour and identify factors that influenced their involvement. Methods: A cross-sectional survey using interviewer-administered structured questionnaire was conducted among 150 women aged 18 years. Male involvement was measured using a composite measure of 5 key points. Pearson Chi-Square was used to test association between the various factors and the level of male involvement and logistic regression analysis was carried out to determine the influence of these factors on the level of male involvement. Results: The mean age of participants was 32.9 years (SD=8.2). Overall, 26.4% had high level of involvement, 55.2% had moderate level of involvement and 18.4% had low level of involvement. The period with the highest proportion of high male involvement was during labour and delivery. Younger age (18-25years vs. 26-35years: OR=0.28, 95%CI: 0.12, 0.66) and the couple living with other family members negatively impacted on the level of male involvement. On the other hand, higher level of education (Tertiary: OR=40.57, 95%CI- 3.16, 520.32; Senior Secondary: OR=7.73, 95% CI- 1.61, 37.15) and the couple living together (OR= 13.12, 95%CI 6.86, 25.08) had a positive influence on the level of male involvement. Healthcare institution barriers to male partner involvement included poor staff attitudes, restrictions on male access to labour and delivery rooms and unwelcoming health facility environment. Conclusion: Male involvement in emergency obstetric care and/or came from home in labour was not optimal. Improving male-friendliness of health facilities in terms of infrastructure, organization of services and staff attitudes and education of the community especially men to sensitize them against the negative attitudes towards male participation in maternity care can improve male involvement. Recommendation:The Hospital management Team in collaboration with the community leaders should organize educational campaigns within the communities to educate community members especially the men, on the importance and benefits of male involvement in maternal health care. Such campaigns can also address negative sociocultural norms and attitudes.The hospital should restructure the maternal health clinics to make them more male friendly. Adequate space and privacy must be provided.Given the sociocultural diversity in the country, more research must be encouraged in this important area to enable the design of culturally appropriate and sensitive male friendly services throughout the country.