Association of topography and demographic & socioeconomic characteristics to the compliance of mothers to reproductive health services in Maasin, Iloilo

Abstract

Reproductive health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being in all matters relating to reproductive functions and processes. This study was conducted in the 50 barangays of Maasin, Iloilo with the purpose of determining if factors such as topography (highland or lowland) and demographic & socioeconomic characteristics (age, parity, highest educational attainment, occupation, and household asset index) have significant association with the utilization of reproductive health services such as prenatal care, family planning and delivery care. A total of 356 mothers (160 from lowland barangays and 196 from highland barangays) from the municipality were interviewed using a survey questionnaire. Statistical tools such as Chi-square, Fisher’s Exact Test, T-test and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Using the results from the surveys, it was found that majority of the mothers from highland barangays had 6 or more children, low educational attainment, and low household asset index. Only educational attainment was known to be significantly associated (p-0.003) with compliance to prenatal care services. Parity was the only factor that was significantly associated (p=0.036) with compliance to family planning services. For delivery care services, age (p=0.047), parity (p=0.001), educational attainment (p=0.002) and occupation (p=0.003) were found to have significant association with topography, because mothers (31-49 years old) who are from highland barangays, who are unemployed, with low educational attainment and who have 6 or more children are more likely to deliver through non-facility based service. Results of this study showed that the rural health unit of Maasin has achieved a good coverage of prenatal care and family planning services since the values were not found to be statistically significant between highland and lowland barangays. However, the RHU still needs to restructure their projects to cater those mothers in highland barangays who still opt for non-facility based deliveries as it is statistically significant when in relation to topography.