KUMJ | VOL. 21 | NO. 4 | ISSUE 84 | OCTOBER - DECEMBER, 2023
Factors Affecting the Utilization of Delivery Care Services in Eastern Nepal
Khanal MN, KC VK
Abstract: Background
Maternal health has been the utmost priority program implemented by the
Government of Nepal, popularly known as the Aama program. The achievement of
sustainable development goals in 2030 underlay the utilization of maternal and health
care services. Institutional delivery is one of the key focused indicators to measure
the country’s efficacy in delivering maternal and health care service utilization. The
study was conducted in eastern Nepal focusing on the factors affecting institutional
delivery.
Objective
To assess the relationship of demographic, socio-cultural, and socio-behavioral
factors with the utilization of delivery care services and to assess factors other than
demographic, socio-cultural and socio-behavioral affecting the perception towards
health services, accessibility to health services, and utilization of delivery care
services.
Method
This study was cross-sectional and descriptive. A total of 401 recently delivered
women were taken for the face-to-face interview. A multistage sampling technique
has been taken to select the sample household as a primary sampling unit. Ethical
approval has been obtained from Nepal Health Research Council.
Result
In the multivariate model, education level, family type of women, perceptions and
awareness about the health facilities (should a pregnant woman go for a medical
check-up, and quality of service of private health institutions is better than public
health institutions were found to have a significant influence on the behaviors
related to institutional delivery.
Conclusion
Our study stated that perception of quality of care, regular access to health services,
receiving a higher level of education, and living in the joint family are very important
which tend to improve the other determining factors for utilization of delivery care service in eastern Nepal.
Keyword : Institutional delivery, Maternal health, Utilization
