Examining barriers to healthcare access and utilization of antenatal care services: evidence from demographic health surveys in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract Background Antenatal care utilization is one of the means for reducing the high maternal mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa. This study examined the association between barriers to healthcare access and implementation of the 2016 WHO antenatal care services model among pregnant women see...

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Main Authors: Bright Opoku Ahinkorah, Edward Kwabena Ameyaw, Abdul-Aziz Seidu, Emmanuel Kolawole Odusina, Mpho Keetile, Sanni Yaya
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2021-02-01
Series:BMC Health Services Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06129-5
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spelling doaj-ac82821ce71f4417af1a167b45e2c5822021-02-07T12:09:24ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632021-02-0121111610.1186/s12913-021-06129-5Examining barriers to healthcare access and utilization of antenatal care services: evidence from demographic health surveys in sub-Saharan AfricaBright Opoku Ahinkorah0Edward Kwabena Ameyaw1Abdul-Aziz Seidu2Emmanuel Kolawole Odusina3Mpho Keetile4Sanni Yaya5School of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology SydneySchool of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology SydneyDepartment of Population and Health, College of Humanities and Legal Studies, University of Cape CoastDepartment of Demography and Social Statistics, Federal UniversityPopulation Studies and Demography, University of BotswanaSchool of International Development and Global Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of OttawaAbstract Background Antenatal care utilization is one of the means for reducing the high maternal mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa. This study examined the association between barriers to healthcare access and implementation of the 2016 WHO antenatal care services model among pregnant women seeking antenatal care in selected countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods This study considered only Demographic and Health Survey data collected in 2018 in sub-Saharan Africa. Hence, the Demographic and Health Survey data of four countries in sub-Saharan Africa (Nigeria, Mali, Guinea and Zambia) were used. A sample of 6761 from Nigeria, 1973 from Mali, 1690 from Guinea and 1570 from Zambia was considered. Antenatal care visits, categorized as < 8 visits or ≥8 visits, and time of the first antenatal care visit, categorized as ≤3 months or > 3 months (as per the WHO recommendations) were the outcome variables for this study. Both descriptive statistics and ordinal logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Crude odds ratios (cOR) and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and p-values < 0.05 were used for the interpretation of results. Results With timing of antenatal care visits, getting money needed for treatment (aOR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.03–1.92) influenced early timing of antenatal care visits in Mali whereas getting permission to visit the health facility (aOR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.15–2.33) motivated women to have early timing of antenatal care visits in Guinea. We found that women who considered getting money needed for treatment as not a big problem in Nigeria were more likely to have the recommended number of antenatal care visits (aOR = 1.38, 95% CI= 1.11–1.73). On the contrary, in Guinea, Zambia and Mali, getting permission to visit health facilities, getting money for treatment, distance to the health facility and not wanting to go alone were not barriers to having ≥ 8 antenatal care visits. Conclusion Our study has emphasized the role played by barriers to healthcare access in antenatal care utilization across sub-Saharan African countries. There is the need for governmental and non-governmental organizations to ensure that policies geared towards improving the quality of antenatal care and promoting good interaction between health care seekers and health care providers are integrated within the health system.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06129-5Health servicesUtilizationAccessAntenatal careHealth careDisparities
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Bright Opoku Ahinkorah
Edward Kwabena Ameyaw
Abdul-Aziz Seidu
Emmanuel Kolawole Odusina
Mpho Keetile
Sanni Yaya
spellingShingle Bright Opoku Ahinkorah
Edward Kwabena Ameyaw
Abdul-Aziz Seidu
Emmanuel Kolawole Odusina
Mpho Keetile
Sanni Yaya
Examining barriers to healthcare access and utilization of antenatal care services: evidence from demographic health surveys in sub-Saharan Africa
BMC Health Services Research
Health services
Utilization
Access
Antenatal care
Health care
Disparities
author_facet Bright Opoku Ahinkorah
Edward Kwabena Ameyaw
Abdul-Aziz Seidu
Emmanuel Kolawole Odusina
Mpho Keetile
Sanni Yaya
author_sort Bright Opoku Ahinkorah
title Examining barriers to healthcare access and utilization of antenatal care services: evidence from demographic health surveys in sub-Saharan Africa
title_short Examining barriers to healthcare access and utilization of antenatal care services: evidence from demographic health surveys in sub-Saharan Africa
title_full Examining barriers to healthcare access and utilization of antenatal care services: evidence from demographic health surveys in sub-Saharan Africa
title_fullStr Examining barriers to healthcare access and utilization of antenatal care services: evidence from demographic health surveys in sub-Saharan Africa
title_full_unstemmed Examining barriers to healthcare access and utilization of antenatal care services: evidence from demographic health surveys in sub-Saharan Africa
title_sort examining barriers to healthcare access and utilization of antenatal care services: evidence from demographic health surveys in sub-saharan africa
publisher BMC
series BMC Health Services Research
issn 1472-6963
publishDate 2021-02-01
description Abstract Background Antenatal care utilization is one of the means for reducing the high maternal mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa. This study examined the association between barriers to healthcare access and implementation of the 2016 WHO antenatal care services model among pregnant women seeking antenatal care in selected countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods This study considered only Demographic and Health Survey data collected in 2018 in sub-Saharan Africa. Hence, the Demographic and Health Survey data of four countries in sub-Saharan Africa (Nigeria, Mali, Guinea and Zambia) were used. A sample of 6761 from Nigeria, 1973 from Mali, 1690 from Guinea and 1570 from Zambia was considered. Antenatal care visits, categorized as < 8 visits or ≥8 visits, and time of the first antenatal care visit, categorized as ≤3 months or > 3 months (as per the WHO recommendations) were the outcome variables for this study. Both descriptive statistics and ordinal logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Crude odds ratios (cOR) and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and p-values < 0.05 were used for the interpretation of results. Results With timing of antenatal care visits, getting money needed for treatment (aOR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.03–1.92) influenced early timing of antenatal care visits in Mali whereas getting permission to visit the health facility (aOR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.15–2.33) motivated women to have early timing of antenatal care visits in Guinea. We found that women who considered getting money needed for treatment as not a big problem in Nigeria were more likely to have the recommended number of antenatal care visits (aOR = 1.38, 95% CI= 1.11–1.73). On the contrary, in Guinea, Zambia and Mali, getting permission to visit health facilities, getting money for treatment, distance to the health facility and not wanting to go alone were not barriers to having ≥ 8 antenatal care visits. Conclusion Our study has emphasized the role played by barriers to healthcare access in antenatal care utilization across sub-Saharan African countries. There is the need for governmental and non-governmental organizations to ensure that policies geared towards improving the quality of antenatal care and promoting good interaction between health care seekers and health care providers are integrated within the health system.
topic Health services
Utilization
Access
Antenatal care
Health care
Disparities
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06129-5
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