Factors associated with health facility delivery among women with disabilities in Uganda

Abstract

Nearly half of all the women who die due to pregnancy-related causes are from sub-Saharan Africa. Women living with disabilities face challenges in accessing health facility delivery because of their inabilities and external barriers. There is limited research on women with disabilities in Uganda about health facility delivery. Therefore, this paper aimed at studying factors associated with health facility delivery among women with disabilities in Uganda, using a nationally representative survey. Methods: Secondary analysis of data was done from a sample of 869 women (age 15-49) with disabilities who had given birth of their most recent birth five years preceding the 2016 UDHS. Bivariate analysis and multivariate logistic regressions were used to determine the relationships between health facility delivery and the explanatory variables. Results: About 67% of women with disabilities delivered their most recent child in a health facility. Women aged 35 years or more (OR=2.0, 95% CI: 1.1-3.6) were more likely to deliver from a health facility than women aged 15-24 years. Women with secondary education or more (OR=5.0, 95% CI: 2.2-11.0), attended four or more ANC visits (OR=1.9, 95% CI: 1.4-2.6), middle and rich quintiles (OR=1.8, 95% CI: 1.2-2.6), (OR=1.7, 95% CI: 1.1-2.6) respectively and from urban areas (OR=2.2, 95% CI: 1.2-3.8) were more likely to deliver from a health facility. Women with four or more living children (OR=0.3, 95% CI: 0.2-0.7) were less likely to deliver from a health facility. The factors which were significantly associated with health facility delivery among women with disabilities were maternal age, education, ANC visits, wealth status and place of residence. Regular and early commencement of ANC attendance should be emphasized. Economically empowering women with disabilities by increasing their level of income and also girls with disabilities remaining in school up to secondary level might increase health facility delivery. Keywords: Uganda, Health facility delivery, women with disabilities