Impact of the Integration of Water Treatment, Hygiene, Nutrition, and Clean Delivery Interventions on Maternal Health Service Use

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2017 May;96(5):1253-1260. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0709. Epub 2017 Feb 13.

Abstract

AbstractReducing barriers associated with maternal health service use, household water treatment, and improved hygiene is important for maternal and neonatal health outcomes. We surveyed a sample of 201 pregnant women who participated in a clinic-based intervention in Kenya to increase maternal health service use and improve household hygiene and nutrition through the distribution of water treatment products, soap, protein-fortified flour, and clean delivery kits. From multivariable logistic regression analyses, the adjusted odds of ≥ 4 antenatal care (ANC4+) visits (odds ratio [OR] = 3.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.9-4.5), health facility delivery (OR = 5.3, 95% CI = 3.4-8.3), and any postnatal care visit (OR = 2.8, 95% CI = 1.9-4.2) were higher at follow-up than at baseline, adjusting for demographic factors. Women who completed primary school had higher odds of ANC4+ visits (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.1-2.9) and health facility delivery (OR = 4.2, 95% CI = 2.5-7.1) than women with less education. For women who lived ≤ 2.5 km from the health facility, the estimated odds of health facility delivery (OR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.5-4.1) and postnatal care visit (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.0-2.6) were higher than for those who lived > 2.5 km away. Compared with baseline, a higher percentage of survey participants at follow-up were able to demonstrate proper handwashing (P = 0.001); water treatment behavior did not change. This evaluation suggested that hygiene, nutritional, clean delivery incentives, higher education level, and geographical contiguity to health facility were associated with increased use of maternal health services by pregnant women.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Female
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*
  • Health Services Accessibility / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Hygiene / education*
  • Kenya
  • Maternal Health Services / statistics & numerical data*
  • Nutritional Status
  • Odds Ratio
  • Pregnancy
  • Prenatal Care / statistics & numerical data*
  • Rural Population
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Water Purification / ethics*