1
|
Eom YJ, Chi H, Jung S, Kim J, Jeong J, Subramanian S, Kim R. Women's empowerment and child anthropometric failures across 28 sub-Saharan African countries: A cross-level interaction by Gender Inequality Index. SSM Popul Health 2024; 26:101651. [PMID: 38524893 PMCID: PMC10958109 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2024.101651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Child undernutrition remains a major global health issue, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Given the important role mothers play in early childhood health and development, we examined how individual-level women's empowerment and country-level Gender Inequality Index (GII) are jointly related with child undernutrition in SSA. Methods We pooled recent Demographic and Health Surveys from 28 SSA countries. For 137,699 children <5 years old, undernutrition was defined using anthropometric failures (stunting, underweight, wasting). Women's empowerment was assessed using three domains of Survey-based Women's EmPowERment (SWPER) index: attitude to violence, social independence, and decision-making; and country-level gender inequality was measured using GII from United Nations Development Programme. Three-level logistic regression was conducted to examine the joint associations of SWPER and GII as well as their interactions with child anthropometric failures, after adjusting for sociodemographic covariates. Results Overall, 32.85% of children were stunted, 17.63% were underweight, and 6.68% had wasting. Children of mothers with low-level of empowerment for all domains of SWPER had higher odds of stunting (attitude to violence: OR=1.15; 95% CI, 1.11-1.19; social independence: OR=1.21; 95% CI, 1.17-1.25; decision-making: OR=1.16; 95% CI, 1.12-1.20), and consistent results were found for underweight and wasting. Independent of women's empowerment, country-level GII increased the probability of underweight (ranging ORs=1.46; 95% CI, 1.15-1.85 to 1.50; 95% CI, 1.18-1.90) and wasting (ranging ORs=1.56; 95% CI, 1.24-1.97 to 1.61; 95% CI, 1.27-2.03). Significant interaction was found between women's empowerment and country-level GII for stunting and underweight (p<0.05). Conclusions In SSA countries with greater gender inequality, improving women's social independence and decision-making power in particular can reduce their children's risk of anthropometric failures. Policies and interventions targeted at strengthening women's empowerment should consider the degree of gender inequality in each country.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Jung Eom
- Interdisciplinary Program in Precision Public Health, Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School of Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyejun Chi
- Interdisciplinary Program in Precision Public Health, Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School of Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Sohee Jung
- Interdisciplinary Program in Precision Public Health, Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School of Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinseo Kim
- Interdisciplinary Program in Precision Public Health, Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School of Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Joshua Jeong
- Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1516 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - S.V. Subramanian
- Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rockli Kim
- Interdisciplinary Program in Precision Public Health, Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School of Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
- Division of Health Policy and Management, College of Health Sciences, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Das S, Deepak, Singh RR. Does Empowering Women Influence Maternal Healthcare Service Utilization?: Evidence from National Family Health Survey-5, India. Matern Child Health J 2024; 28:679-690. [PMID: 37934327 DOI: 10.1007/s10995-023-03823-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal healthcare service utilization is a pivotal indicator of a nation's progress in safeguarding the health and well-being of its women and children. In this context, women's empowerment emerges as a critical determinant influencing the utilization of maternal healthcare services. The study aims to assess the relationship between women's level of empowerment and utilization of maternal healthcare services among currently married women in India. DATA AND METHODS: The study uses data from the fifth round of the National Family Health Survey conducted in 2019-2021 and analyzed 26,552 (15-49 aged) currently married women who had a live birth in the last 5 years preceding the survey. Additionally, univariate and bivariate analyses, multivariate logistic regression, and the SWPER index were used for the analysis. RESULTS Over the years, utilization of antenatal care, skilled birth attainment, and postnatal care has increased extensively in India. However, the study found that utilization of services was higher among empowered women, and it varies across the state with the extent of empowerment. State-level analysis shows that the extent of women empowerment was higher in Goa, followed by Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and lower in Jharkhand, followed by Tripura, so as the utilization of maternal and health care services. The extent of empowerment and utilization of services also varies by level of educational attainment, employment, and socio-economic status. CONCLUSION There is a need for comprehensive strategies to enhance women's empowerment through education, employment, political participation, self-awareness, and reduction in gender-based violence and child marriages, which may improve awareness demand for better public health structure, and may ensure higher utilization of maternal healthcare services. Ultimately, these strategies may converse the higher maternal death and child mortality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sunandita Das
- Department of Family and Generation, International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai, India
| | - Deepak
- Department of Public Health & Mortality Studies, International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai, India
| | - Rajeev Ranjan Singh
- Department of Population and Development, International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai, India.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Shawon MSR, Hossain FB, Ahmed R, Poly IJ, Hasan M, Rahman MR. Role of women empowerment on mental health problems and care-seeking behavior among married women in Nepal: secondary analysis of nationally representative data. Arch Womens Ment Health 2024:10.1007/s00737-024-01433-5. [PMID: 38315185 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-024-01433-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study investigates the associations between women empowerment and the prevalence of mental health symptoms and care-seeking behavior among ever-married Nepalese women aged 15-49 years. METHODS We utilized 2022 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey data to measure women empowerment, employing the Survey-Based Women's Empowerment (SWPER) index. The index focuses on the domains of social independence, decision-making, and attitudes towards violence. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (GAD-7) and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), respectively. Multiple logistic regression was performed to estimate adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for associations of women empowerment domains and mental health problems and care-seeking behavior. RESULTS Among 5556 women, the prevalence of symptoms of anxiety and depression was 23.1% and 6.1%, respectively. Among those with any symptoms of anxiety or depression, 18.3% sought care. Compared to women with low level of empowerment in the "social independence" domain, those with high level of empowerment were less likely to suffer from symptoms of anxiety (aOR = 0.68; 95%CI, 0.57-0.82) and depression (aOR = 0.69; 95%CI, 0.50-0.94). However, high empowerment in "decision-making" domain was associated with higher likelihood of anxiety (aOR = 1.67; 95%CI, 1.33-2.10) and depression (aOR = 1.80; 95%CI, 1.26-2.58). There was evidence of positive association between high empowerment in "decision-making" and care-seeking (aOR = 1.28; 95%CI, 0.96-1.71). CONCLUSIONS This study underscores important roles of women empowerment on mental health symptoms and care-seeking behavior, suggesting the need to integrate empowerment initiatives into strategies to promote mental health among women in Nepal and similar low- and middle-income settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Md Shajedur Rahman Shawon
- Centre for Big Data Research in Health, University of New South Wales, Level 2, AGSM Building (G27), Sydney, Australia.
| | | | - Robin Ahmed
- Sir Salimullah Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Shen H, Zhao H, Wang B, Jiang Y. Women's status, empowerment, and utilization of skilled delivery services in Papua New Guinea: an empirical analysis based on structural equation modeling. Front Public Health 2024; 11:1192966. [PMID: 38269389 PMCID: PMC10807043 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1192966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Skilled birth attendants (SBA) facilitate identifying and overcoming labor problems and saving lives. With one of the highest maternal death rates in the Asia-Pacific area, SBA utilization during childbirth among Papua New Guinea (PNG) women remains low. Women's status and empowerment are important factors in maternal and child health services and critical to maternal and child health development. This study is intended to apply structural equation modeling based on data from the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) to evaluate the causal relationship between women's status, empowerment, and SBA utilization in PNG and the mechanisms of their influence. Methods This study employed data from the 2016-2018 Papua New Guinea Demographic Health Survey (PNG DHS), which recruited 18,175 women aged 15-49 years. A multi-stage sample and a structured questionnaire were used to collect information on maternal health, women's empowerment, and related topics. STATA 17.0 was used to describe the data, while MPLUS 8.2 was employed for structural equation modeling and pathway analysis. Results The two empowerment dimensions of household decision-making (standardized path coefficient, β = 0.049, p < 0.05) and access to health services (β = 0.069, p < 0.01) were positively associated with SBA utilization, while the association between attitudes toward partner violence and SBA utilization was not statistically significant. In addition, mediation analysis revealed that education indirectly influenced SBA utilization through access to health services (β = 0.011, 95% CI: 0.002, 0.022). Conclusion The findings confirmed the direct and indirect effects of women's status and empowerment on SBA utilization in PNG. Therefore, a call for further evidence-based interventions in PNG and possibly Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) is needed to improve women's educational attainment, household decision-making, and access to health services to enhance maternal and newborn health and well-being.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hao Shen
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hang Zhao
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Baoqin Wang
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yi Jiang
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Dadras O. The individual- and community-level women's empowerment and utilization of maternity care services in Afghanistan: a multilevel cross-validation study. Int Health 2023:ihad116. [PMID: 38127005 DOI: 10.1093/inthealth/ihad116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed to explore the relationship between women's empowerment and utilization of maternity care for married Afghan women aged 15-49 y in Afghanistan, assessing the convergence validity of the Survey-based Women's Empowerment Index in Afghanistan (SWEI-A). METHODS The study used data from the 2015 Afghanistan Demographic Health Survey to examine the association of different domains of women's empowerment with the utilization of maternity care using multilevel Poisson regression at both individual and community levels. RESULTS The utilization of maternity services was considerably higher among women with high scores compared with those with low scores in almost all domains of the SWEI-A, except for property owning, in which women with high scores appeared to have lower rates of utilization of such services compared with those with low scores. At the community level, those communities with high participation of women in the labor force were less likely to have adequate antenatal care (ANC), institutional delivery and postnatal care (PNC). Individual-level literacy was associated with higher utilization of ANC, institutional delivery and PNC, contrary to community-level literacy. CONCLUSIONS Except for property owning, the high score in almost all other domains was associated with higher utilization of maternity care, which indicates an acceptable level of convergence validity for the developed index (i.e. the SWEI-A) in measuring women's empowerment among married Afghan women aged 15-49 y.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Omid Dadras
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen (UiB), 5009 Bergen, Norway
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Haukland University Hospital, 5012 Bergen, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Khatun N, Howlader S, Rahman MM. Women's Sexual Empowerment and Its Relationship to Contraceptive Use in Bangladesh: Findings From a Recent National Survey. Int J Public Health 2023; 68:1606143. [PMID: 37927388 PMCID: PMC10620289 DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2023.1606143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives: This study aimed to assess the relationship between women's sexual empowerment and contraceptive use among married Bangladeshi women from a nationally representative sample. Methods: Secondary data analysis was conducted using the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2017-18. The investigation covered a total of 14,515 married, non-pregnant women who were residing with their spouses. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was fitted to assess the relationship between the variables of interest. Results: A unit increase in the sexual empowerment scale increases the odds of contraceptive use by 13%. While increasing age, being Muslim, having a spouse who is older by more than 10 years, and living in rural areas are associated with lower odds of using contraceptives than their respective counterparts, secondary or higher levels of education, having more living children, exposure to TV or radio, and employment are associated with higher odds of using contraceptives. Conclusion: The study's findings point to the need for addressing women's perceptions of their right to sexual and reproductive health and equity in order to further efforts to achieve universal access to reproductive health services.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Md. Mosfequr Rahman
- Department of Population Science and Human Resource Development, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Odwe G, Matanda DJ, Zulu T, Kizito S, Okoth O, Kangwana B. Women's empowerment and uptake of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy: results from a cross-sectional baseline survey in the Lake endemic region, Kenya. Malar J 2023; 22:241. [PMID: 37612754 PMCID: PMC10463858 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-023-04679-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malaria in pregnancy remains a major public health problem in endemic areas of the sub-Saharan African (SSA) region. However, there is limited understanding of the association between women's empowerment and the uptake of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy (IPTp-SP) in Kenya. This study examines the association between women's empowerment indicators (decision-making power, control of assets, education, and employment status) and the uptake of three or more doses of IPTp-SP in the Lake endemic region of Kenya. METHODS The analysis utilized a dataset from a cross-sectional baseline survey of 3129 women aged 15-49 years in Kisumu and Migori Counties who had a live birth within the last 2 years preceding the study. Data were collected between June to August 2021. A descriptive analysis was conducted to show the distribution of respondents by key background characteristics, and bivariate and multivariate logistic regression to examine statistically significant associations between women's empowerment measures and the uptake of 3+ doses of IPTp-SP. RESULTS Among the 3129 women surveyed, 1978 (65.7%) received 3+ doses of IPTp-SP during their most recent pregnancy. Controlling for individual characteristics and the number of ANC visits, the odds of taking 3+ doses of IPTp-SP increased among women who had high decision-making autonomy (AOR = 2.33; CI = 1.81-3.01; P < 0.001); and tertiary level of educational attainment (AOR = 1.51; CI = 1.10-2.06). However, the association between control of assets and uptake of IPTp-SP was positive but not statistically significant. CONCLUSION Women's decision-making autonomy and educational attainment were positively associated with the uptake of IPTp-SP. As a result, maternal health interventions should focus on less empowered women, specifically those with less decision-making autonomy and no/low formal education, as they are less likely to achieve optimal uptake of IPTp-SP during pregnancy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- George Odwe
- Population Council, Kenya, Avenue 5, 3rd Floor, Rose Avenue, P.O Box 17643-00500, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Dennis Juma Matanda
- Population Council, Kenya, Avenue 5, 3rd Floor, Rose Avenue, P.O Box 17643-00500, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Tchaiwe Zulu
- Population Council, Kenya, Avenue 5, 3rd Floor, Rose Avenue, P.O Box 17643-00500, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Stephen Kizito
- Population Council, Kenya, Avenue 5, 3rd Floor, Rose Avenue, P.O Box 17643-00500, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Oscar Okoth
- Kisumu Medical and Education Trust (KMET), P. O Box 6805-40103, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Beth Kangwana
- Population Council, Kenya, Avenue 5, 3rd Floor, Rose Avenue, P.O Box 17643-00500, Nairobi, Kenya
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Misu F, Alam K. Comparison of inequality in utilization of postnatal care services between Bangladesh and Pakistan: Evidence from the Demographic and Health Survey 2017-2018. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2023; 23:461. [PMID: 37349680 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-023-05778-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inequality in postnatal care (PNC) has remained a challenge in many low- and middle-income countries, like Bangladesh and Pakistan. The study examines within-country and between-country inequality in utilizing PNC services for Bangladesh and Pakistan. METHODS The study used the latest Demographic and Health Survey (DHS, 2017-2018) datasets of Bangladesh and Pakistan for women aged 15-49 years who had given at least one live birth in the three years preceding the survey. As outcome variables, three PNC service indicators were considered: PNC check of women, PNC check of newborns, and adequate PNC content of newborns. Concentration curves and equiplots were constructed to visually demonstrate inequality in PNC services. For ordered equity strata with more than two categories, the relative concentration index (RCI), absolute concentration index (ACI), and slope index of inequality (SII) were calculated to measure inequalities in the utilization of PNC services. For two categories equity strata, rate ratio (RR) and rate difference (RD) were calculated. RESULTS In Bangladesh, the level of inequality was high and almost the same for the PNC check of women and newborns based on women's education (PNC women- RCI: 0.404, ACI: 0.403, SII: 0.624; and PNC newborn- RCI: 0.402, ACI: 0.402, SII: 0.622), wealth (PNC women- RCI: 0.448, ACI: 0.448, SII: 0.643; and PNC newborn- 0.441, ACI: 0.441, SII: 0.633), and number of ANC visits (PNC women- RCI: 0.329, ACI: 0.329, SII: 0.595; and PNC newborn- RCI: 0.329, ACI: 0.329, SII: 0.594). In Pakistan, the level of inequality was higher for the PNC check of women among all PNC services based on women's education (ACI: 0.388 and SII: 0.676) and wealth (ACI: 0.397 and SII: 0.598). For Bangladesh and Pakistan, RR values (2.114 and 3.873, respectively) indicated greater media exposure-related inequality in adequate PNC content of newborns. Inequality in facility delivery was highest for PNC checks of women and newborns in Bangladesh (PNC women- RD: 0.905, PNC newborn- RD: 0.900) and Pakistan (PNC women- RD: 0.726, PNC newborn-RD: 0.743). CONCLUSION Inequality was higher in Bangladesh than in Pakistan for PNC checks of women and newborns based on wealth, media exposure, and mode of delivery. For adequate PNC content of newborns, inequality was greater in Pakistan than in Bangladesh. Country-specific customized policies would better minimize the gap between the privileged and underprivileged groups and reduce inequality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Farjana Misu
- Murdoch Business School, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, 6150, Australia.
- Department of Statistics, Jagannath University, Dhaka, 1100, Bangladesh.
| | - Khurshid Alam
- Murdoch Business School, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, 6150, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Vizheh M, Rapport F, Braithwaite J, Zurynski Y. The Impact of Women's Agency on Accessing and Using Maternal Healthcare Services: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:3966. [PMID: 36900977 PMCID: PMC10002172 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20053966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Agency, defined as the ability to identify one's goals and act upon them, has been recognized as a prominent strategy to access maternal healthcare services (MHS). The purpose of this study was to synthesize evidence of the association between women's agency and MHS utilization. A systematic review was performed on five academic databases, comprising Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and ProQuest. Meta-analysis was performed with a random-effects method using the STATA™ Version 17 software. A total of 82 studies were selected following the PRISMA guidelines. The meta-analysis demonstrated that an increase in women's agency was associated with a 34% increase in the odds of receiving skilled antenatal care (ANC) (OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.18-1.52); 7% increase in the odds of initiating the first ANC visit during the first trimester of pregnancy (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.01-1.12); 20% increase in the odds of receiving at least one ANC visit (OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.04-1.4); 16% increase in the odds of receiving more than four ANC visits during pregnancy (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.12-1.21); 17% increase in the odds of receiving more than eight ANC visits (OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.04-1.32); 13% increase in the odds of facility-based delivery (OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.09-1.17); 16% increase in the odds of using skilled birth attendants (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.13-1.19); and 13% increase in the odds of receiving postnatal care (OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.08-1.19) compared to low level of agency. Any efforts to improve MHS utilization and reduce maternal morbidity and mortality should include the promotion of women's agency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Vizheh
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Frances Rapport
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Jeffrey Braithwaite
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- National Health and Medical Research Council Partnership Centre for Health System Sustainability, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Yvonne Zurynski
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- National Health and Medical Research Council Partnership Centre for Health System Sustainability, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Women's multidimensional empowerment index and essential newborn care practice in Bangladesh: The mediating role of skilled antenatal care follow-ups. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0281369. [PMID: 36749769 PMCID: PMC9904503 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The World Health Organization recommended a set of five neonatal care practices that are most essential for good health of a newborn. As good essential newborn care (ENC) practice reduces the risk of neonatal morbidity and mortality, this paper focuses how women's multidimensional empowerment index is associated with this practice through the skilled antenatal care. To the best of knowledge, no such study has been conducted yet. The composite index of women's multidimensional empowerments was constructed using family decision, intimate partner violence, social status, healthcare access and economic status of women; and skilled antenatal care was defined if a pregnant woman received eight or more checkups during pregnancy from skilled health professionals. MATERIALS AND METHODS Data extracted from Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey, 2017-18 have been utilized in the study. A total of 2441 mothers have been considered who delivered their last live birth at home within three years preceding the survey. A mediation analysis was performed considering the structural equation modeling to find out the adjusted association of women's empowerment on both skilled antenatal care and good ENC practice, but the unadjusted associations were also checked using a chi-square test. To test the indirect as well as total effect of women's empowerment through skilled antenatal care on good ENC practice, bias-corrected standard errors were estimated using a bootstrapping sampling. RESULTS Good ENC practice was considerably low in Bangladesh with 7.6% of newborns receiving the practice. Both adjusted and unadjusted analyses showed the significant association of women's empowerment with both skilled antenatal care and good ENC practice. The study revealed that the indirect effect of high empowerment through skilled antenatal care was greater than its direct effect on good ENC practice. CONCLUSION This study explored that the prevalence of good ENC practice can be accelerated through women's empowerment, where skilled antenatal care plays an important mediating role in improving good ENC practice among highly empowered mothers. The study suggests that a woman should follow the latest guidelines recommended by WHO for antenatal care follow-up. Policymakers can modify some of the maternal and child health care interventions based on the research findings.
Collapse
|
11
|
Adde KS, Ameyaw EK, Dickson KS, Paintsil JA, Oladimeji O, Yaya S. Women's empowerment indicators and short- and long-acting contraceptive method use: evidence from DHS from 11 countries. Reprod Health 2022; 19:222. [PMID: 36474291 PMCID: PMC9727987 DOI: 10.1186/s12978-022-01532-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With a population of about 1.1 billion, sub-Saharan Africa is projected to overtake Eastern, Southern and Central Asia to become the most populous region by 2060. One effective approach for slowing this rapid population growth is the use of modern contraception and this may be short-acting or long acting. Previous studies have explored the association between women empowerment indicators contraception use, however, there is limited evidence on how women empowerment indicators associate with type of contraception. Hence the present study investigated the association between women empowerment indicators and type of contraception used by women in 11 sub-Saharan African countries. METHODS We utilised Demographic and Health Survey data of 22,637 women from 11 countries, collected between 2018 and 2021. The outcome variable was type of contraception used. Descriptive and inferential analyses were executed. The descriptive analysis reflected women empowerment indicators and the proportion of women using contraceptives. Multinomial logistic regression was considered for the inferential analysis. The results for the multinomial logistic regression were presented as adjusted odds ratios (aORs) along with the respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs) signifying precision. The sample weight (wt) was used to account for the complex survey (svy) design. All the analyses were done with Stata version 13 and SPSS version 25. RESULTS The study showed that on the average, 15.95% of the women do not use modern contraceptives, whilst 30.67% and 53.38% use long-acting and short-acting contraceptives respectively. The adjusted models showed that women who were working had higher odds of using long-acting (aOR = 1.44, CI 1.28-1.62) and short-acting (aOR = 2.00, CI 1.79-2.24) methods compared with those who were not working. The analysis revealed higher likelihood of long-acting method use among women with high decision-making capacity (aOR = 1.27, CI 1.09-1.47) compared with women with low decision-making capacity. Women with medium knowledge level had a higher likelihood (aOR = 1.54, 1.09-2.17) of using long-acting methods than their counterparts with low knowledge level. CONCLUSION Our findings show that most women in the 11 countries use modern contraceptives, however, different empowerment indicators align with different contraceptive type. It therefore behoves governments of the studied countries to review current interventions and embrace new ones that are more responsive to the peculiar contraception needs of empowered and non-empowered women.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Setorwu Adde
- grid.413081.f0000 0001 2322 8567Department of Population and Health, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Edward Kwabena Ameyaw
- grid.411382.d0000 0004 1770 0716Institute of Policy Studies and School of Graduate Studies, Lingnan University, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong ,L & E Research Consult Ltd, Upper West Region, Ghana
| | - Kwamena Sekyi Dickson
- grid.413081.f0000 0001 2322 8567Department of Population and Health, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Jones Arkoh Paintsil
- grid.413081.f0000 0001 2322 8567Department of Economic Studies, School of Economics, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Olanrewaju Oladimeji
- grid.412870.80000 0001 0447 7939Department of Public Health, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, Eastern Cape 5099 South Africa
| | - Sanni Yaya
- grid.7445.20000 0001 2113 8111The George Institute for Global Health, Imperial College London, London, UK ,grid.28046.380000 0001 2182 2255School of International Development and Global Studies, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON Canada
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Afroja S, Muhammad Nasim AS, Khan MS, Kabir MA. Rural-Urban Determinants of Receiving Skilled Birth Attendants among Women in Bangladesh: Evidence from National Survey 2017-18. Int J Clin Pract 2022; 2022:5426875. [PMID: 36567778 PMCID: PMC9754836 DOI: 10.1155/2022/5426875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND SBAs (skilled birth attendants) play a crucial role in reducing maternal mortality. The proportion of maternal healthcare in Bangladesh that receives quality care at birth has increased; the reasons for this are unknown. The purpose of this study is to see if there has been a change in the use of specific maternal healthcare indicators in urban and rural areas, as well as significant risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS The data set was extracted from a nationally representative survey based on a cross-sectional study, the Bangladesh Health and Demographic Survey (BDHS) 2017-18. The frequency distribution reveals the general state of SBAs. To identify the association, we performed the chi-square test. Finally, multiple logistic regression was used to analyse the factors associated with SBAs and determine the degree of SBAs disparity between urban and rural areas. RESULTS In Bangladesh, 53% of women received SBAs during childbirth, with urban and rural areas receiving 68.1 and 52.2 percent, respectively. Women with secondary (AOR: 1.79, CI: 1.05-3.08) and higher (AOR: 4.18, CI: 2.09-8.50) education were more likely to receive SBAs than women in urban areas who were illiterate. Husband's education, women's working status, wealth index, children's birth order, and number of ANC visit are significant factors in receiving SBSs in both urban and rural areas. Higher educated husbands are 1.83 times (AOR = 1.83, CI: 1.04-3.25, p = 0.037) and 1.82 times (AOR = 1.82, CI: 1.29-2.59, p = 0.001) more likely to attend skilled births than uneducated husbands in both urban and rural areas. Respondents from the richest families are more likely to attend skilled births than those from the poorest families in both urban and rural areas. CONCLUSION During delivery, significant risk factors are substantially related to SBAs. More attention must be given to rural and illiterate populations, who are less likely to obtain these services, to minimize maternal and neonatal mortality. Special programs could be developed to raise awareness and facilitate the poor in receiving the basic necessities of maternal care.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sohani Afroja
- Department of Statistics, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh
| | - Abu Saleh Muhammad Nasim
- Statistics Discipline, Science Engineering and Technology School, Khulna University, Khulna 9208, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Salauddin Khan
- Statistics Discipline, Science Engineering and Technology School, Khulna University, Khulna 9208, Bangladesh
| | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Zegeye B, Adjei NK, Ahinkorah BO, Ameyaw EK, Seidu AA, Olorunsaiye CZ, Yaya S. Does attitude towards wife beating determine infant feeding practices during diarrheal illness in sub-Saharan Africa? Trop Med Health 2021; 49:80. [PMID: 34627410 PMCID: PMC8501539 DOI: 10.1186/s41182-021-00369-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Inappropriate feeding practices of children during illness remains a public health problem globally, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). One strategy to improve child health outcomes is through women empowerment—measured by wife beating attitude. However, the role of attitude towards wife beating in child feeding practices has not been comprehensively studied. Therefore, we investigated the association between women's attitude towards wife beating and child feeding practices during childhood diarrhea in 28 countries in SSA. Methods We analyzed data from the Demographic and Health Survey on 40,720 children under 5 years. Bivariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses were applied to assess the association between women's attitude towards wife beating and child feeding practices. The results were presented using adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results The pooled results showed that appropriate feeding practices during diarrheal illness among under-five children was 9.3% in SSA, varying from 0.4% in Burkina Faso to 21.1% in Kenya. Regarding regional coverage, the highest coverage was observed in Central Africa (9.3%) followed by East Africa (5.5%), Southern Africa (4.8%), and West Africa (4.2%). Women who disagreed with wife-beating practices had higher odds of proper child feeding practices during childhood diarrhea compared to those who justified wife-beating practices (aOR = 2.02, 95% CI; 1.17–3.48). Conclusion The findings suggest that women’s disagreement with wife beating is strongly associated with proper child feeding practices during diarrheal illness in SSA. Proactive measures and interventions designed to change attitudes towards wife-beating practices are crucial to improving proper feeding practices in SSA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Betregiorgis Zegeye
- HaSET Maternal and Child Health Research Program, Shewarobit Field Office, Shewarobit, Ethiopia
| | - Nicholas Kofi Adjei
- Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Bright Opoku Ahinkorah
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Edward Kwabena Ameyaw
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Abdul-Aziz Seidu
- Department of Population and Health, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.,College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Sanni Yaya
- School of International Development and Global Studies, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada. .,The George Institute for Global Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
| |
Collapse
|