The Involvement of Religious Leaders in Supporting Institutional Childbirth in Rural Jimma Zone, Oromia, Southwest Ethiopia: An exploratory Qualitative Study.

Abstract

This exploratory qualitative study examined the involvement of religious leaders in maternal health practices with a focus on promoting institutional childbirth in the rural Jimma Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. In-depth interviews with 24 male religious leaders revealed five key themes: awareness of childbirth practices, religious beliefs, experiences of childbirth preparedness, experiences at health institutions, and challenges with using institutional childbirth services. The findings indicate that, while religious leaders significantly influence community attitudes toward institutional childbirth, their impact is often limited by a lack of awareness and insufficient engagement with health services. This study underscores the need for culturally sensitive interventions incorporating religious beliefs into maternal health promotion. Enhanced collaboration between health care providers and religious leaders, along with targeted training, is essential for improving maternal health outcomes and increasing the use of institutional childbirth services in rural Ethiopia and other similar contexts.