AN INVESTIGATION OF FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE USE OF SKILLED DELIVERY SERVICES IN THE TALENSI DISTRICT OF THE UPPER EAST REGION, GHANA

Abstract

The use of skilled delivery services can avert some avoidable maternal and infant deaths. Deliveries that are conducted by unskilled persons can lead to complications to infants and their mothers. This study was conducted to investigate the factors that influence the use of skilled delivery services in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region of Ghana. A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted in the Talensi District The study was conducted among three months postpartum women, skilled birth attendants and traditional birth attendants. Sample size of 387 postpartum women, 12 skilled birth attendants, and 4 Traditional Birth Attendants were recruited for the study. The postpartum women were selected using multistage cluster sampling from 30 communities whilst the SBAs were selected throughpurposive samplingfromallthehealthfacilities of thedistrict. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to collect data. Majority of the postpartum women (56.3%) initiated ANC in the first trimester and about 75% made a minimum of 4 ANC visits. Majority (81.4%) delivered in health facilities whilst 18.6% (72) delivered at home. TBAs conducted 12.4% (48) of the deliveries whilst 81.4% (315) of the deliveries were conducted by skilled birth attendants. Mother in-laws conducted 6.2% of the deliveries. Factors that influence facility delivery are level of formal education, (χ2= 13.2, p < 0.02), knowledge of danger signs of labour (χ2 = 10.5, p = 0.01), distance to health facility (χ2 = 14.2, p < 0.001), ANC attendance (AOR= 15.63, 95 % CI [8.16, 29.95]), parity (AOR= 11.21, 95 % CI [4.56, 27.58]) and autonomy (AOR= 3.44, 95 % CI [1.85, 6.39]). In conclusion, facility delivery in the district is high. It is recommended that more CHPS compounds will be built to reduce the distance to health facilities.