Abstract
Maternity waiting home (MWH) is a direct strategy to improve newborn and maternal survival. The utilization of MWH, however, remains very low in Ethiopia. Men involvement in maternal health programs is a key strategy to increase utilization of maternal health services, including MWH. This study defines men involvement in-terms of men's participation in deciding to admit their spouse to an MWH, accompanying their spouse to an MWH, providing financial support, availing food at an MWH, and taking care of the home or children. Thus, the current study aims to identify factors affecting men's involvement in MWH utilization. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from October 1st to December 30th, 2018. Four hundred three men were involved in the study. Data were analyzed by the statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 23. Independent predictors were identified by a multivariable logistic regression model. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported. Men's involvement in MWH was 55.6% (50.71, 60.45). Age (AOR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.82-0.94), knowledge about MWH (AOR = 4.74, 95% CI = 2.65-8.49), decision-making power (AOR = 4.00, 95% CI = 1.38-11.57), and receiving counseling about MWH during spousal antenatal care visits (AOR = 9.15, 95% CI = 3.34-25.03) had statistically significant associations with men's involvement in MWH utilization. Nearly, half of the male partners were involved in MWH utilization. Men's age, MWH knowledge, decision-making power, and receiving counseling were factors affecting their involvement in MWH utilization. Interventions targeting to improve male involvement in MWH utilization should focus on building men's knowledge about MWH, increasing male involvement in ANC with an appropriate level of counseling about MWH, and changing patriarchal thinking in society with appropriate behavioral interventions such as community-based health education.
Highlights
Global experiences show that more than 80% of maternal deaths could have been prevented by appropriate and timely interventions performed by skilled professionals in a conducive environment [1, 2]
Age (AOR = 0.86, 95% confidence intervals (CI) = 0.82– 0.94), knowledge about Maternity waiting home (MWH) (AOR = 4.74, 95% CI = 2.65–8.49), decision-making power (AOR = 4.00, 95% CI = 1.38–11.57), and receiving counseling about MWH during spousal antenatal care visits (AOR = 9.15, 95% CI = 3.34–25.03) had statistically significant associations with men’s involvement in MWH utilization
Half of the male partners were involved in MWH utilization
Summary
Global experiences show that more than 80% of maternal deaths could have been prevented by appropriate and timely interventions performed by skilled professionals in a conducive environment [1, 2]. In 2016, only 26% of women in Ethiopia gave birth at health facilities. This rate is among the lowest in the world. The reasons for non-use of skilled delivery service include notions that facility delivery is not necessary or customary, physical distance to the facility, and lack of transportation [3]. It has been many years since maternity waiting homes (MWHs) have been considered as a direct strategy for increasing health facility delivery and improving maternal and newborn survival [4, 5]. Men involvement in maternal health programs is a key strategy to increase utilization of maternal health services, including MWH. The current study aims to identify factors affecting men’s involvement in MWH utilization
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