Women Satisfaction with Maternal Health Services in Murang’a County Referral Hospital, Kenya.

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Date
2021
Authors
Njenga, Jane W.
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Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
In this 21st century, expectant women continue to lose lives during delivery period. Maternal mortality rate has been recorded to be approximately 585000 deaths annually across the world while that of sub-Saharan region is approximated to be around 685 per 100000 live births. The Kenyan government has played its role in ensuring that antenatal care, maternal and postnatal services are put in place and properly maintained. The general objective of this study is to establish the level of satisfaction of women on the basis of the free policy on maternal services utilization in Murang’a county. Structured questionnaires, direct interviews, were used to collect data from 387 mothers who had given birth in Murang’a county hospital and were waiting to go home. Systematic sampling was used to sample individual mothers while Murang’a County Referral Hospital was purposively selected. Data analysis was done through qualitative and quantitative approach whereby, descriptive and correlation analysis played role in this study to establish the relationship between criterion and predictor variables. The study findings indicated that the satisfaction level to mothers who benefitted from this service was established to be high at 67.2%. The majority of the respondents were aged between 21 years and 30 years (47.9%, n=184), the married mothers were more than half (63.8%, n=245) and the majority were having secondary level of education (47.4%, n=182). On religion of the mothers, majority were Christian protestants (78.4%, n=301), with 57.3% (n=220) reporting to be self-employed and majority were earning 5-10 thousand per month (39.6%, n=152). The study evaluated socio-demographic factors and hospital related factors. On socio demographic factors affecting maternal satisfaction on free maternity services were found to be marital status (P<.001) and mothers’ level of education (p<.001). Significant health facility related factors included; availability of bed and linen (p<.001), cleanliness of the hospital (p<.001), availability of incubators for each child (not sharing incubator) (p=.029), and bed occupancy (not sharing a bed) (p<.001). The staffs were available when needed (p<.001) and treated the patients with respect (p<.001). In conclusion the majority of mothers were satisfied with the services. The hospital should maintain cleanliness, provide bed and incubator for each client respectively and maintain privacy of their clients’ and information. The ministry of health ought to increase civic education to all citizens to welcome this initiative and ensure the facilities are available all through.
Description
A Research Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Public Health (Reproductive Health) of Kenyatta University, November, 2021
Keywords
Women Satisfaction, Maternal Health Services, Murang’a County Referral Hospital, Kenya
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