Predisposing, enabling, need factors, and utilization of maternal healthcare services at selected fish landing sites in Buikwe district, Uganda

Abstract

Healthy and productive populations start with healthy mothers. Around 800 women globally pass away each day from avoidable causes as a result of inadequate maternal healthcare. This study assessed the effect of predisposing, enabling and need factors on use of maternal healthcare services at Ssenyi, Kiyindi and Nkombwe landing sites. A cross-sectional study design with a quantitative approach was utilized in this study. A sample of 111 mothers was recruited. Semi structured questionnaires were administered to obtain information on the factors that influenced use of maternal healthcare services at landing sites. The predisposing, enabling, and need variables that significantly influenced the use of maternal healthcare services were identified using bivariate analysis, and the significant factor's impact on the use of maternal healthcare services was identified using multivariate analysis. Marital status (OR, 0.582; 95%CI: 0.163 – 2.082, P < 0.05), father’s occupation (OR, 1.335; 95%CI: 0.059 – 8.348, P < 0.05) and seeking for tetanus vaccination (OR, 13.676; 95%CI: 0.326 – 574.250, P < 0.05) were identified as the predisposing, enabling and need factors respectively influencing use of maternal healthcare services from the quantitative approach while social roles of women, attitude and behaviour of health workers, accessibility and availability of health facilities, distance to facility, cultural norms and stopping to give birth were the factors from the qualitative approach. In conclusion, the study recommends provision of social support to women and improvement of attitude of health workers.