Women’s Health Decision-Making Autonomy and Skilled Birth Attendance in Ghana

Abstract

Delivering in health facility under the supervision of skilled birth attendant is an important way of mitigating impacts of delivery complications. Empirical evidence suggests that decision-making autonomy is aligned with holistic wellbeing especially in the aspect of maternal and child health. The objective of this paper was to examine the relationship between women's health decision-making autonomy and place of delivery in Ghana. We extracted data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. Descriptive and logistic regression techniques were applied. The results indicated that women with health decision-making autonomy have higher tendency of health facility delivery as compared to those who are not autonomous [OR = 1.27, CI = 1.09–1.48]. However, those who have final say on household large purchases [OR = 0.71, CI = 0.59–0.84] and those having final say on visits [OR = 0.86, CI = 0.73–1.01] were less probable to deliver in health facility than those without such decision-making autonomy. Consistent with existing evidence, wealthier, urban, and highly educated women had higher inclination of health facility delivery. This study has stressed the need for interventions aimed at enhancing health facility delivery to target women without health decision-making autonomy and women with low education and wealth status, as this can play essential role in enhancing health facility delivery.

Skilled Birth Attendance among Women in Tharaka-Nithi County, Kenya

“…This agrees with findings in West Pokot County, Kenya [8]. Women in Ghana in a higher wealth index had greater autonomy in decision-making on reproductive health and more likely delivered under skilled birth attendance [9].…”

“…Women with advanced age may have had negative experiences in their previous hospital visits for delivery and thereby chose home deliveries. In studies in Ghana, it was found that women aged 15-19 years were more likely to deliver under skilled birth attendance compared to those aged 40-45 years [9]. Education influences decision-making.…”

Institutional Delivery Service Utilization and Associated Factors in Rural Communities of Central Gondar zone, Northwest Ethiopia

“…The nding is in agreement with the analysis of 2016 Ethiopian demographic and health survey [45], and studies conducted in Mana district of south west Ethiopia [33], Ghana [46], and Uttarakh [47]. Women from better wealth status house hold can cover transportation and other expenses to bring and keep families at a health facility.…”

Skilled birth attendance in Sierra Leone, Niger, and Mali: analysis of demographic and health surveys

“…Inconsistent findings have been reported. In Ghana, Ameyaw et al [46] indicated that married women had higher SBA inclination, compared to women who were not in any marital union. Afulani and Moyer [40], however, noted a higher likelihood of SBA among women who had never married and those who had previously married, as compared to women who were currently married.…”