Using Andersen's behavioral model of health care use for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Studies in Nigeria and elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa (sSA) have explored factors influencing usage of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp). Most studies, however, are not model or theory-based, which provides less satisfactory guidance to malaria control programming. This study fills the knowledge gap by adapting Andersen's behavioral model of health care use to IPTp usage in Nigeria. METHODS: This study adopted a cross-sectional design that utilized secondary data extracted from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). A weighted sample of 4,772 women who had given birth in the past year preceding the survey, was analyzed. Outcome variable was usage of IPTp, dichotomized into optimal or otherwise. Explanatory variables cut across individual and community levels and were divided into predisposing, enabling and need factors in line with the theoretical constructs of the Andersen model. Two multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression models were fitted to identify factors which influenced optimal usage of IPTp. Analyses were performed using STATA 14. Statistical significance was set at 5%. RESULTS: Realised level of optimal IPTp usage was 21.8%. Factors that either predispose or enable pregnant women to take optimal doses of IPTp were maternal education, being employed, being autonomous in their own healthcare, health insurance enrolment, partner education, receiving antenatal care in public health facilities, rural residence, being resident in northern geo-political zones, community literacy level and community perception of the consequences of malaria. Two significant need factors affecting optimal usage of IPTp were timing of the first antenatal care visit and sleeping under mosquito bed nets. CONCLUSION: Optimal usage of IPTp is low among pregnant women in Nigeria. There is a need to devise additional public health educational programs promoting IPTp usage through the formation of Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilisation (ACSM) in every ward in all local government areas, particularly in the rural and northern parts of the country. In addition, health planners should adopt the Andersen model for assessing key determinants of IPTp usage among childbearing women in Nigeria.

To what extent is antenatal care in public health facilities associated with delivery in public health facilities? Findings from a cross-section of women who had facility deliveries in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Facility delivery remains an important public health issue in Nigeria. Studies have confirmed that antenatal care may improve the uptake of facility delivery. However, information is rarely available in Nigeria on the extent to which antenatal care in public health facilities is associated with delivery in public health facilities. The objective of the study was thus to examine the extent of the association between antenatal care in public health facilities and delivery in public health facilities in Nigeria. The study was guided by the Andersen behavioral model of health services use. METHODS: The cross-sectional design was adopted. Data were extracted from the most recent Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). A sample of 9,015 women was analyzed. The outcome variable was the facility for delivery. The main explanatory variable was the antenatal care facility. The predisposing factors were maternal age, age at first birth, parity, exposure to mass media, and, religion. The enabling factors were household wealth, work status, partners' education, women's autonomy, health insurance, and, perception of distance to the health facility. The need factors were pregnancy wantedness, the number of antenatal care visits, and the timing of the first antenatal care. Statistical analyses were performed with the aid of Stata version 14. Two binary logistic regression models were fitted. RESULTS: Findings showed that 69.6% of the women received antenatal care in public health facilities, while 91.6% of them subsequently utilized public health facilities for deliveries. The significant predisposing factors were age at first birth, parity, maternal education, and religion, while household wealth, work status, women's autonomy, and partners' education were the significant enabling factors. The timing of the first antenatal contact, pregnancy wantedness, and the number of antenatal care visits were the important need factors. CONCLUSION: To a significant extent, antenatal care in public health facilities is associated with deliveries in public health facilities in Nigeria. It is imperative for governments in the country to take more steps to ensure the expanded availability of public health facilities in all parts of the country since their use for antenatal care is well-associated with their use for delivery care.

Individual and community factors associated with unintended pregnancies among women of advanced reproductive age in Nigeria.

Studies have examined individual and community level factors associated with unintended pregnancies. However, existing studies tends to focus the general population of reproductive age women without isolating women of advanced reproductive age (women at the age range of 35-49 years) for specific research attention. There is need for specific attention on this group of women because pregnancies among them whether intended or unintended elevate obstetric risks for both mother and child. This study examines associated individual and community factors of unintended pregnancies among women of advanced reproductive age in Nigeria. Data were extracted from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. A weighted sample of 12,509 women was analyzed. Three multilevel logistic regression models were estimated. The study revealed a 10.3% prevalence of unintended pregnancies. Individual characteristics such as maternal age, number of living children, delayed marriage, and community characteristics such as high community poverty and high community unmet contraceptive need were significantly associated with unintended pregnancies. Variations in unintended pregnancies across the communities were more attributable to individual factors. Interventions should develop specific strategies tailored toward women of advanced reproductive age.