Prevalence of disrepect&abuse and associated factors during childbirth at metu karl referral hospital, illuababora zone, south west oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

Introduction: Every woman has the right to the highest attainable standard of health, which includes the right to dignified, respectful health care. It is increasingly recognized that disrespect and abuse of women during childbirth is a violation of a woman‟s rights and a deterrent to the use of life-saving, facility-based labor and delivery services. Providing respectful maternity care services is one of the most important interventions to ensure survival of women. However, respectful maternity care has received less attention both in practice and research. No studies on disrespect and abuse in Mettu Karl Referral Hospital have been identified during my literature search. Hence, there is an urgent need to explore the frequency and the different types of disrespect and abuse among women during facilitybased childbirth along with its associated factors. This study may contribute to frame some appropriate evidence based interventions which can be implemented to improve the skilled birth attendance and subsequently, maternal health in the long run. Objective: To assess the prevalence of disrespect and abuse during childbirth and identify associated factors in Mettu Karl Referral Hospital, South West Oromia, Ethiopia. Methods: A facility based cross-sectional study that applied both quantitative and qualitative methods was conducted in Mettu Karl Referral Hospital. Sample of eligible women who gave birth vaginally in the health facility during the data collection period was included in the study. Structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data and for qualitative data a semi-structured guide was used for in-depth interview of childbearing mothers and health care providers. SPSS version 22.0 was used for data entry and analysis. Logistic regression was applied to identify correlates of disrespect and abuse and thematic analysis was done to analyze the qualitative data. Results: All childbearing mothers who included in the study faced at least one form of disrespect and abuse. The most commonly abused childbearing women right was mothers‟ right to confidentiality and privacy with all of them reported that both of the validation criteria were missed. The second commonly abused childbearing women right was mothers right to information, informed consent, and choice/preferences with 250(99.2%) of them reported that at least one of the eight validation criteria for the domain were missed. The multivariate logistic regression found that autonomy of the mother to decide on her health issues (P= 0.006) and educational level of mother (P=0.008) were significantly associated with disrespect and abuse. Conclusion: This study showed that disrespect and abuse at health facility was prevalent; all child-bearing mothers experience at least one form of disrespect & abuse. This was serious concern for health sector and need due attention, working on fulfilling necessary infrastructure and equipment at facility, empowering and participate women on health issues; train health care providers on the childbearing women rights and aware the community were on their rights.