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Analysis for Utilization of Free Maternal Health Care Services in Embu County, Kenya

Author

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  • Prof. Sande Anne

    (Department of Social Sciences Chuka University; P.O. Box 109-60400 Chuka, Kenya.)

  • Mwenga Miriam Ngina

    (Chuka University P.O. BOX 91-60104, Siakago, Kenya)

Abstract

At both global and national levels, efforts have been made to promote utilization of maternal healthcare. Provision of free maternal healthcare services is one of the interventions put in place to reduce infant and maternal mortality rate that occur especially during childbirth. The initiative has been in existence for about seven years in all public hospitals and health centers in Kenya with an aim to achieve Sustainable DevelopmentGoal3 (SDG 3) on universal health. Despite the implementation of free maternal health care service maternal mortality has remained high. The study therefore examined the level of utilization of free maternal healthcare services in Embu County, Kenya for a period of ten years pre and post policy implementation. The study modifies Anderson’s health utilization model to help explain utilization of free maternal healthcare services in public hospitals in Kenya. Secondary data on the utilization of free antenatal care, deliveries and post-natal care was collected from the health facility records. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS version 23 as a tool for data analysis. The best fitting model using the exponential smoothing and ARIMA model were employed in the time series. Secondary data showed increasing trend in utilization from 2008 with peaks between mid-years of 2012 and almost end of 2014, followed by a decline in utilization, then upward growth in 2017 and 2018. Residual data for autocorrelation and partial autocorrelation factors confirmed the trends of the data collected from Embu General Hospital and Kagaari health center. The auto regression model showed that N-ANC, R-ANC and Deliveries were better predicted using the Exponential smoothing model at 0.777 (77.7%); p = 0.0643, 0.736 (34.6%); p = 0.014, and 0.000 (44.4%); p = 0.310. However, the PNC was better predicted using the ARIMA model. The results of this study can be used by policy makers to monitor implementation of free maternal health care services. The study recommends further study on other factors affecting the utilization of free maternal health care.

Suggested Citation

  • Prof. Sande Anne & Mwenga Miriam Ngina, 2024. "Analysis for Utilization of Free Maternal Health Care Services in Embu County, Kenya," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(10), pages 3144-3155, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:8:y:2024:i:10:p:3144-3155
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Chantelle Boudreaux & Phetdara Chanthala & Magnus Lindelow, 2014. "Assessing the Elimination of User Fees for Delivery Services in Laos," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(3), pages 1-8, March.
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