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Spatial variation in the use of reproductive health services over time: a decomposition analysis.

ABSTRACT: The paper argues that several Sub-Saharan African countries have recorded marked improvements in the use of reproductive health services. However, the literature has hardly highlighted such progress and the factors responsible for them. The current study uses Ghana as a case to examine progress in the consumption of reproductive health services over the last two decades and the factors responsible for such progress.The study uses two rounds (1998 and 2014) of Demographic and Health Survey data from Ghana. Standard frequencies, a logit model and decomposition of the coefficients of the logit model (i.e. Oaxaca-type decomposition) was employed to examine changes in the use of reproductive health services (4+ antenatal visits and skilled attendance at birth) at national and sub-national levels (i.e the four ecological zones of Ghana) between 1998 and 2014 as well as factors explaining observed spatial changes between the two periods.Descriptive results suggest that the highest level of improvement occurred in resource-poor zones (i.e. northern belt followed by the southern belt) compared to the middle belt and Greater Accra, where access to resources and infrastructure is relatively better. Results from Oaxaca-type decomposition also suggest that women and partner's education, household wealth and availability and accessibility to health facilities are the key factors explaining spatial variation in reproductive health service consumption over the two periods. Most importantly, the marginal efficiency of investment in women and partner's education and access to health services were highest in the two resource poor zones.There is the need to target resource poor settings with existing or new pro-poor reproductive health interventions. Specifically, the northern and southern zones where the key drivers of education and availability of health facilities are the lowest, will be key to further improvements in the consumption of reproductive health services in Ghana.

SUBMITTER: Abekah-Nkrumah G

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5838884 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Spatial variation in the use of reproductive health services over time: a decomposition analysis.

Abekah-Nkrumah Gordon G

BMC pregnancy and childbirth 20180306 1

<h4>Background</h4>The paper argues that several Sub-Saharan African countries have recorded marked improvements in the use of reproductive health services. However, the literature has hardly highlighted such progress and the factors responsible for them. The current study uses Ghana as a case to examine progress in the consumption of reproductive health services over the last two decades and the factors responsible for such progress.<h4>Methods</h4>The study uses two rounds (1998 and 2014) of D ...[more]

PMID: 29510675

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Project description:BackgroundPre-lacteal feeding persists in low and middle-income countries as deep-rooted nutritional malpractice. It imposes significant negative consequences on neonatal health, including increased risk of illness and mortality. Different studies revealed that pre-lacteal feeding practice is decreased over time. Even though different studies are done on the prevalence and determinants of pre-lacteal feeding practice, up to our knowledge, the spatial distribution and the determinants of the change in pre-lacteal feeding practice over time are not researched.ObjectiveTo assess the spatial distribution and determinants of the change in pre-lacteal feeding practice over time in Ethiopia.MethodsWe used the Ethiopian demographic and health surveys (EDHSs) data. For this study, a total weighted sample of 14672 (5789 from EDHS 2005, 4510 from EDHS 2011, and 4373 from EDHS 2016) reproductive-age women who gave birth within two years preceding the respective surveys and whoever breastfeed were used. The logit-based multivariate decomposition analysis was used to identify factors that contributed to the decrease in pre-lacteal feeding practice over the last 10 years (from 2005 to 2016). Using the 2016 EDHS data, we also conducted a spatial analysis by using ArcGIS version 10.3 and SaTScan version 9.6 software to explore the spatial distribution and hotspot clusters of pre-lacteal feeding practice.ResultPre-lacteal feeding practice was decreased from 29% [95% Confidence interval (CI): 27.63-29.96%] in 2005 to 8% [95% CI: 7.72-8.83%] in 2016 with annual rate of reduction of 7.2%. The overall decomposition analysis showed that about 20.31% of the overall decrease in pre-lacteal feeding practice over the last 10 years was attributable to the difference in composition of women (endowment) across the surveys, while, the remaining 79.39% of the overall decrease was explained by the difference in the effect of characteristics (coefficient) across the surveys. In the endowment component, the difference in composition of residence, perception of distance from the health facility, maternal educational level, wealth status, occupation, ANC visit, place of delivery, the timing of breastfeeding initiation, and wanted last-child/pregnancy were found to be significant contributing factors for the decrease in pre-lacteal feeding practice. After controlling for the role of compositional changes, the difference in the effect of distance from the health facility, wealth status, occupation, antenatal care (ANC) visit, and wanted last-child/pregnancy across the surveys were significantly contributed to the observed decrease in pre-lacteal feeding practice. Regarding the spatial distribution, pre-lacteal feeding practice was non-random in Ethiopia in which the primary and secondary clusters' of pre-lacteal feeding identified in Somalia and the Afar region respectively.ConclusionPre-lacteal feeding practice has shown a significant decline over the 10-year period. Program interventions considering women with poor maternal health service utilization such as ANC visits, women with poor socioeconomic status, women with an unintended pregnancy, and women from remote areas especially at border areas such as Somali and Afar could decrease pre-lacteal feeding practice in Ethiopia.

Project description:BackgroundThe use of the internet for health information among older people is receiving increasing attention, but how it is associated with chronic health conditions and health service use at concurrent and subsequent time points using nationally representative data is less known.ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine whether the use of the internet for health information is associated with health service utilization and whether the association is affected by specific health conditions.MethodsThe study used data collected in a technology module from a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling older Americans aged 52 years and above from the 2012 Health and Retirement Study (HRS; N=991). Negative binomial regressions were used to examine the association between use of Web-based health information and the reported health service uses in 2012 and 2014. Analyses included additional covariates adjusting for predisposing, enabling, and need factors. Interactions between the use of the internet for health information and chronic health conditions were also tested.ResultsA total of 48.0% (476/991) of Americans aged 52 years and above reported using Web-based health information. The use of Web-based health information was positively associated with the concurrent reports of doctor visits, but not over 2 years. However, an interaction of using Web-based health information with diabetes showed that users had significantly fewer doctor visits compared with nonusers with diabetes at both times.ConclusionsThe use of the internet for health information was associated with higher health service use at the concurrent time, but not at the subsequent time. The interaction between the use of the internet for health information and diabetes was significant at both time points, which suggests that health-related internet use may be associated with fewer doctor visits for certain chronic health conditions. Results provide some insight into how Web-based health information may provide an alternative health care resource for managing chronic conditions.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Equitable use of reproductive health care services is of critical importance since it may affect women's and children's health. Policies to reduce inequality in access to reproductive health care services are often general and frequently benefit the richer population. This is known as the inverse equity situation. We analyzed the magnitude and trends in wealth-related inequalities in the use of family planning, antenatal and delivery care services in Ghana and Nigeria. We also investigate horizontal inequalities in the determinants of reproductive health care service use over the years. METHODS:We use data from Ghana's (2003, 2008 and 2014) and Nigeria's (2003, 2008 and 2013) Demographic and Health Surveys. We use concentration curves and concentration indices to measure the magnitude of socioeconomic-related inequalities and horizontal inequality in the use of reproductive health care services. RESULTS:Exposure to family planning information via mass media, antenatal care at private facilities are more often used by women in wealthier households. Health worker's assistance during pregnancy outside a facility, antenatal care at government facilities, childbirth at home are more prevalent among women in poor households in both Ghana and Nigeria. Caesarean section is unequally spread to the disadvantage of women in poorer households in Ghana and Nigeria. In Nigeria, women in wealthier households have considerably more unmet needs for family planning than in Ghana. Country inequality was persistent over time and women in poorer households in Nigeria experienced changes that are more inequitable over the years. CONCLUSION:We observe horizontal inequalities among women who use reproductive health care. These inequalities did not reduce substantially over the years. The gains made in reducing inequality in use of reproductive health care services are short-lived and erode over time, usually before the poorest population group can benefit. To reduce inequality in reproductive health care use, interventions should not only be pro-poor oriented, but they should also be sustainable and user-centered.

Project description:BackgroundThe magnitude of unintended pregnancy is unacceptably high and more than half of it end up with abortions. This may limit lower and middle-income countries to achieve the sustainable development goal targets of reduction of neonatal and maternal mortalities. Evidence on trends and spatial distribution of unintended pregnancy is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the trend, multivariate decomposition, and spatial variations of unintended pregnancy among reproductive-age women in Ethiopia from 2000 to 2016.MethodsEthiopian Demographic and Health Data of 2000 to 2016 were used. A total weighted sample of 30,780 reproductive-age women participated. A multivariate decomposition analysis was employed to identify factors contributing to the change in the rate of unintended pregnancy in Ethiopia for 20 years from (1996 to 2016). The concentration index and graph were used to assess wealth-related inequalities, whereas spatial analysis was done to identify the hotspot of unintended pregnancy in Ethiopia.ResultsThe 20-year trend analysis showed that the magnitude of unintended pregnancy among reproductive-age women decreased by 13.19 percentage points (from 39.76% in 2000 to 26.57% in 2016 EDHS). About 84.97% of the overall decrement was due to the difference in coefficient of the variables, whereas the remaining 15.03% was due to the difference in composition of the respondent. The differences in coefficient of the variables were decomposed by living metropolitan cities, having previous terminated pregnancy, and not having exposure to media; whereas, the change due to the composition, was expressed by having a household size of 1-3, living in metropolitan cities, being multipara and grand para, being unmarried and having no terminated pregnancy. Moreover, unintended pregnancies were more clustered in Addis Ababa and disproportionately concentrated in the poor groups.ConclusionsIn Ethiopia, a substantial decrement in unintended pregnancy was observed in the past decade. More than four-fifths of this overall decrement was due to the difference in the coefficient of the variables. There was spatial clustering of unintended pregnancy in Ethiopia. A program intervention is needed for high-risk regions such as Addis Ababa. Health education and media campaign should perform for high-risk women such as those having terminated pregnancy, and professing Islam faith.

Project description:BackgroundHigh fertility rates and unintended pregnancies are public health concerns of lower and middle income countries such as Ethiopia. Long acting contraceptives (LACs) take the lion's share in reducing unintended pregnancies and high fertility rates. Despite their numerous advantages, the utilization of LACs remains low in Ethiopia. This study is aimed to explore the geographic variation and associated factors of long acting contraceptive use among reproductive-age women in Ethiopia.MethodsThis is a secondary data analysis of 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) data. A total of weighted sample sizes of 10,439 reproductive-age women were included in the final analysis. To clean and analyze the none-spatial data Stata 14 was used while ArcGIS 10.6 and SaTScanTM version 9.6 software were used for spatial analysis. Multilevel Mixed-effect Logistic regression model was used to identify associated factors of LACs utilization. An Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) with 95% Confidence Interval (CI) was reported to identify significant variables.ResultsLong acting contraceptive utilization was non-random (Moran's I: 0.30, p-value < 0.01). Statistically, clusters with significant low utilization of LACs were found in Somali, Afar, Gambela, northern Amhara, eastern Oromia and western part of Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples (SNNP) regions. Adjusting for other factors such as being married (AOR = 2.51, 95% CI: 1.29-4.87), having one to two (AOR = 2.14, 95% CI: 1.43-3.22), and three to four children (AOR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.02-2.76), urban (AOR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.16-2.19), want no more children (AOR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.08-1.83), working status of women (AOR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.07-1.65) increased the odds of LACs utilization. While previous history of abortion (AOR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.39-0.80), and living in the pastoralist community (AOR = 0.22, 95% CI: 0.14-0.35) reduced the odds of LACs utilization in Ethiopia CONCLUSIONS: Significant geographic variation of LACs utilization was observed in Ethiopia. Spots with Low LACs utilization were found in the eastern, north eastern and western part of the country. Socio-demographic and pregnancy related factors were significant determinants of LACs utilization. Designing intervention programs targeting the identified hot spot clusters, and variables that can hinder the utilization of LACs is very important to increase the utilization.

Project description:BackgroundThe target date for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is now closer than ever. There is lack of sufficient progress in achieving the MDG targets in many low- and middle-income countries. Furthermore, there has also been concerns about wide spread inequity among those that are on track to achieve the health-related MDGs. Bangladesh has made a notable progress towards achieving the MDG 5 targets. It is, however, important to assess if this is an inclusive and equitable progress, as inequitable progress may not lead to sustainable health outcomes. The objective of this study is to assess the magnitude of inequities in reproductive and maternal health services in Bangladesh and propose relevant recommendations for decision making.MethodsThe 2007 Bangladesh demographic and health survey data is analyzed for inequities in selected maternal and reproductive health interventions using the slope and relative indices of inequality.ResultsThe analysis indicates that there are significant wealth-related inequalities favouring the wealthiest of society in many of the indicators considered. Antenatal care (at least 4 visits), antenatal care by trained providers such as doctors and nurses, content of antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, delivery in health facility and delivery by caesarean section all manifest inequities against the least wealthy. There are no wealth-related inequalities in the use of modern contraception. In contrast, less desired interventions such as delivery by untrained providers and home delivery show wealth-related inequalities in favour of the poor.ConclusionsFor an inclusive and sustainable improvement in maternal and reproductive health outcomes and achievement of MDG 5 targets, it essential to address inequities in maternal and reproductive health interventions. Under the government's stewardship, all stakeholders should accord priority to tackling wealth-related inequalities in maternal and reproductive health services by implementing equity-promoting measures both within and outside the health sector.

Dataset Information

Spatial variation in the use of reproductive health services over time: a decomposition analysis.

Publications

Spatial variation in the use of reproductive health services over time: a decomposition analysis.

Similar Datasets

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