Abstract:
Objective: To determine whether there is a relationship between male involvement
in maternal health and utilisation of skilled birth attendants (SBAs) after controlling
for socio-demographic and maternal characteristics.
Design: Data from the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) conducted in
2008–09 were analysed.
Setting: Nationally representative survey in Kenya.
Subjects: The unit of analysis was couples who met the inclusion criteria of being
married and having had a child in the three years before the survey.
Results: The adjusted odds ratio after controlling for other factors indicates that women
whose husbands attended at least one ANC visit were more likely to have skilled
birth attendance than those whose husbands did not attend any ANC visits [AOR,
1.9; 95 percent CI, 1.09-3.32]. Maternal characteristics that had a statistically significant
association with delivery by an SBA included educational level, employment, number
of ANC visits, and parity. The province where the couple resided also was statistically
significant.
Conclusion: In Kenya a male partner’s participation, through attending ANC visits, is
associated with a woman’s use of an SBA during delivery
