Original Research Article
Year: 2018 | Month: January | Volume: 8 | Issue: 1 | Pages: 1-8
An Evaluation of Demographic Determinants on Utilization of Skilled Delivery Services By Maasai Women in Kiekonyokie Sub Location of Kajiado County in Kenya
Laban Lebahati Simel1, Dr Lakshmi Nanduri2, Dr. Pamela A. Juma3, Dr. Blasio Omuga4
1Lecturer, School of Public Health, Asmara College of health Science, Asmara, Eritrea.
2Associate Professor, School of Public Health, Asmara College of health Science, Asmara, Eritrea.
3Director Great Lakes University of Kisumu- Nairobi Campus.
4Lecturer, University of Nairobi.
Corresponding Author: Laban Lebahati Simel
ABSTRACT
Background: Maternal health is one of the eight Millennium Development Goals, is central to poverty reduction and overall development efforts and it increased international attention for monitoring progress on maternal health and improving access to skilled attendants at deliveries. In Kenya, 44 percent of births are delivered under the supervision of a health professional, mainly a nurse or midwife. Traditional birth attendants continue to play a vital role in delivery, assisting with 28 percent of births.
Objective: This research paper aimed to study demographic determinants on the utilization of skilled delivery services by Maasai women, the study population belonging to a community of nomadic life style in North of Kajiado County in Kenya population.
Methodology: The study design was a cross sectional descriptive study adopting both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The sample size was 264 women of reproductive age obtained by using Fisher et al., formula when the population is more than 10,000.The quantitative data has been analyzed using (SPSS) version 17.0 while the qualitative data was analyzed by summarizing of the themes.
Results: Results show that early age (15-19) years was associated with low utilization of skilled delivery service while advanced age of maternal status (45-49) was associated with the lowest utilization of skilled delivery service. Skilled delivery utilization was higher amongst other categories at 32% compared to the married 24%. Marital status had no statistical significance as p=0.356. At the early age of reproduction, the women were guided by relatives, their mothers in law and husbands who followed the Maasai traditional way of life in regard to child birth. In later age, the women became more inclined in the tradition hence home delivery becomes a normal practice.
Conclusions: There is underutilization of skilled delivery in Kiekonyokie sub location, the biggest proportion of the women who used skilled delivery were between 30-34 years at 24.6% , those whose utilization was lowest, were in age group between 45-49 years at 3.8%. 32% of the women in other relationships delivered in hospital compared to their married counter parts who were 24%.
Key words: Maasai Women, Demographic Determinants, Utilization of Skilled Delivery Services, Kajiado County, Kenya