| dc.description.abstract | Introduction
This study was focused on assessing the utilization of antenatal care services among women 15-
49 years in Mubende municipality, Mubende district. The independent variables were categorized
as socio economic, health related and socio demographic factors. The dependent variables were
measured in terms of high and low utilization of ANC in Mubende municipality. The general
objective of the study was to find out the determinants of utilization of antenatal care services
among women aged 15-49 years in Mubende municipality and specific objectives of the Study
were; to describe the levels of antenatal care service utilization among women aged 15-49 years
in Mubende municipality; To find out the socio-economic factors influencing antenatal care
service utilization among women aged 15-49 years in Mubende municipality; and to find out the
health facility related factors contributing to antenatal care service utilization among women aged
15-49 years in Mubende municipality, Mubende district.
Methodology
A cross-sectional study design using structured questionnaires combined with in-depth interview
guides were used for both quantitative and qualitative data collection respectively. A total of 360
respondents were sampled from Kasaana parish of Mubende municipality. Simple random
sampling and systematic random sampling techniques were used. Pearson’s Chi-square test, and
binary logistic regression analyses were conducted and statistically significant tests declared at P value ≤ 0.05.
Results
At P.value <0.05, statistically significant association was established between occupation of the
mother, occupation of the spouse, monthly household income, marital status, education level of a
mother, spouse involvement and utilization of antenatal care services among women aged 15-49
at (X2=3235.165 df=3 P=0.011), (X
2=484.168 df=3 P=0.031),(X2= 507.633 df=2 P=0.000),
(X
2=833.141 df=3 P=0.042), (X
2=273.331 df=3 P=0.002), (X
2=741.112 df=1 P=0.000 ),
(X
2=255.712 df=3 P=0.000) respectively. Further statistically significant association was also
established between utilization of ANC services and; distance to the Health facility attended for
ANC (X
2=247.44 df=1 P=0.015), the mother paying for the services needed (X2=2461.44 df=
1 P=0.001), the behavior of health workers at the facility visited (X
2=834.52 df=1 P=0.043)
and the quality of the services provided during ANC visit and utilization of antenatal care services
(X
2=517.62 df=2 P=0.001) among women aged 15-49 respectively.
Conclusion and recommendation
The study found that full ANC services attendance and utilization was generally low (37.2%) thus
much sensitization has to be done in Mubende municipality to empower pregnant women and their
husbands as to improve ANC attendance and utilization. Educating a girl child beyond primary
level and the number of ANC clinic outreaches intensified in order to attract and encourage women
to attend antenatal care from as early as the first trimester of pregnancy.
It was further established that the main factors affecting antenatal utilization among the women
aged 15-49years were; distance to the Health facility attended for ANC, the mother paying for the
services needed, the behavior of health workers at the facility visited, the quality of the services
provided during ANC visit, occupation of the mother, occupation of the spouse, monthly
household income. The study recommended that aantenatal services should be introduced in all
health centers at all levels such that accessibility can be made easy by pregnant mothers and
transport barriers removed. The government should ensure that all public health facilities provide
timely and high-quality antenatal care services so as to enhance ANC services utilization to the
mothers | en_US |
