Determinants Of Maternal Health Among The Kalenjin Women Of Ainamoi Constituency, Kericho County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

High maternal mortality rate is one of the major maternal health concerns in developing countries including Kenya. The purpose of this study was to investigate determinants of maternal health as well as suggesting the strategies for improving it. To achieve the study objectives, this study adopted ethnography, a qualitative research design. Data was collected using interview guide, focus group discussion guide and key informant interview guide. The study targeted sixty married women of reproductive age (15 – 49 years) from three sub-locations of Ainamoi Constituency which were selected using simple random sampling. Sixty married men were also included in the research so that they could give their views on determinants of maternal health in the area. A pretest was undertaken to check and enhance validity and reliability of the research instruments before the commencement of the actual study. Data were analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. To achieve the first objective, descriptive analysis was utilized to describe determinants of maternal health among the women of Ainamoi Constituency. In the second objective, descriptive statistics were used to determine the frequencies in order to interrogate economic factors that determine maternal health. Quantitative data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences whereas qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The study found out that twenty eight percent of women are married off early, 85% of women do not make decisions on their sexual health, 76.7% of women bear more than four children, 18% of women prefer to deliver at home and 46% of women earn below KES 5,000. Cultural dietary precautions and gender roles also determine maternal health in the area. The study further established that 91.7% of men prefer a son and 55% suppose that pregnancy issues are absolutely women’s responsibility. Women lack access and control over family resources and are often excluded from family financial decision-making. The analysis above indicates that both cultural and socio-economic factors result into negative maternal health outcomes since pregnant mothers are not able to seek maternal health services on time. Based on these findings, it was recommended that strategies be put in place to improve maternal health which include: provision of maternal health education to men and women, encouragement of joint decision-making in the family, economic empowerment of men and women, encouragement of cultural practices that improve maternal health and discouraging those that impact on maternal health in a negative way. The main conclusion drawn from this study is that women do not make independent decisions concerning their maternal healthcare because of negative influence from the family members and the community. Further, women lack power to make decisions that concern their sexual and reproductive health. Patriarchal system of the society also denies women economic independence which in turn acts as a barrier to seeking maternal health services. The study recommends that, there should be involvement of men in matters that concern maternal healthcare, health practitioners should provide ANC services that are culturally sensitive and women should be economically empowered as well as given an opportunity to make independent decisions on their sexual and reproductive health which in turn will result into positive maternal health outcomes.