ATTITUDE OF EXPECTANT MOTHERS TO MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS’ADVICE AND ITS EFFECT ON MATERNAL MORTALITY IN KIBERA SLUM, NAIROBI

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the attitude of expectant mothers to medical practitioners’ advice and its effect on maternal mortality in Kibera slum, NairobiMethodology:The study utilized a correlation research design. The target population comprised all expectant mothers within Kibera slums who were present at the selected clinics during antenatal day at the time of data collection. The target population also constituted all the twenty eight medical practitioners working at the five selected clinics as well as all the peer professionals who listen to the expectant mothers’ complaints. The study conducted a census for the medical practitioners and used convenience sampling for the expectant mothers and peer professionals. The sample size was 38 respondents. The study used a questionnaire, focus group discussion and a key informant interview guide as research instrumentsto obtain primary data.The questionnaires were self-administered with the help of two research assistants while the researcher conducted the focus group discussion with the expectant mothers and the key informant interview with the two peer proffessionals. The researcher analyzed both quantitative and qualitative data.Results: Based on the findings the study concluded that expectant mothers’ in Kibera slum uphold various cultural norms which affect intercultural communication between the mothers and medical practitioners negatively. The study also concluded that expectant mothers in Kibera slum had expectations about the medical practitioners’ intercultural communication skills. These expectationsaffect intercultural communication of health information among expectant mothers. Further, the study concluded that expectant mothers have negative attitudes towards the medical practitioners which significantly contributed to maternal mortality in Kibera slum.Policy recommendation: The Ministry of Health should take the initiative to educate the residents of Kibera slum on the importance of attending antenatal and prenatal clinics. The MOH should also lead campaigns that condemn outdated cultural customs which subject expectant mothers to adverse risks even to the point of losing their lives. This can be done through the local media