Demand for prenatal health care in Lower Nyakach division, Nyando district.
Author
Otieno, Hellen
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Women play an important role in the production of goods and services in any economy.
For maximum production, they need to be healthy. Maternal and child health is an
essential and integral element of health care programme aimed at improving general
health status of women since better maternal health helps to reduce the risk of death and
disability in pregnancy and child birth. On the other hand, prenatal health care is an
essential component of maternal and child heath care. Good prenatal heath care helps to
reduce morbidity and mortality on women and children. However, there is low attendance
of prenatal health care especially in the rural areas. However, there is low attendance of
prenatal heath care especially in the rural areas. It is therefore necessary to understand
factors that determine demand for prenatal health care in the rural areas. This study has
investigated the determinants of prenatal health care services in Lower Nyakach
Divisions of Nyando District.
To meet the objectives of the study, primary data was collected and analysed using both
econometric and descriptive methods. Econometric analysis involved estimation of a log
linear model using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) estimation technique. The empirical
results showed that price of prenatal health care, waiting time, perceived quality, distance
traveled and the duration of the pregnancy at which the first prenatal health care visit was
made are significant determinants of demand for prenatal health care.
Descriptive results showed that contrary to the beliefs that people are moving away from
the traditional health care, women in the rural areas are still visiting both modern and
traditional health care facilities. The results also showed that demand for prenatal visits
late (between five and six months of pregnancy).
Based on the empirical findings, the study recommends that health care planners should
design and modify the hours of operation of certain facilities to reduce waiting time,
since waiting was found to be a significant determinant of demand for prenatal health
care; that prenatal health care services should be further subsidized. On the other hand,
mobile clinics should be provided to reduce distance travelled to the health care facilities.
Distance was found to negatively influence demand for prenatal health care and was also
a significant determinant. The study also recommends that awareness campaigns for
prenatal health care be intensified and also included in public education programmes and
that when planning for health care services, the feelings and opinions of potential users
should be taken into consideration. For example, health care providers can adapt some
aspects of their services to satisfy the patients’ expectations.