Delays during emergency obstetric care and their determinants among mothers who gave birth in South Gondar zone hospitals, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study design

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Study Justification:
– The majority of maternal deaths occur during delivery and the immediate postnatal period due to delays in seeking care, reaching health institutions, and receiving appropriate healthcare.
– Delayed access to timely healthcare contributes to high maternal mortality and morbidity in developing countries.
– This study aimed to assess the delays during emergency obstetric care and identify associated factors to improve maternal healthcare and reduce maternal deaths.
Study Highlights:
– The study was conducted in five randomly selected hospitals in the South Gondar zone, Ethiopia.
– Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 459 postpartum mothers using a systematic sampling technique.
– The proportion of delays during emergency obstetric care was found to be 59.7% in the study.
– Factors significantly associated with delays included rural residency, absence of antenatal care visits, uneducated mothers, and referral to a higher level of care.
Recommendations for Lay Reader and Policy Maker:
– Improve access to emergency obstetric care in rural areas to reduce delays.
– Increase awareness and utilization of antenatal care services to ensure timely and appropriate healthcare.
– Focus on educating women to empower them to make informed decisions about their healthcare.
– Strengthen referral systems to ensure smooth transitions between different levels of care.
Key Role Players:
– Healthcare providers: Midwives, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals involved in emergency obstetric care.
– Community health workers: They can play a crucial role in educating and mobilizing communities to seek timely healthcare.
– Health policymakers: Government officials and policymakers responsible for implementing and monitoring maternal healthcare policies and programs.
– Non-governmental organizations (NGOs): Organizations working in the field of maternal health can provide support and resources to address the identified delays.
Cost Items for Planning Recommendations:
– Training programs: Budget for training healthcare providers and community health workers on emergency obstetric care, antenatal care, and referral systems.
– Infrastructure improvement: Allocate funds for improving healthcare facilities in rural areas, including equipment, supplies, and infrastructure.
– Awareness campaigns: Budget for public awareness campaigns to promote the importance of antenatal care and timely healthcare seeking.
– Monitoring and evaluation: Allocate resources for monitoring and evaluating the implementation and impact of the recommendations.
Note: The provided cost items are general categories and not actual cost estimates. Actual budget planning should be based on local context and specific needs.

The strength of evidence for this abstract is 7 out of 10.
The evidence in the abstract is moderately strong. The study design is cross-sectional, which limits the ability to establish causality. However, the study conducted face-to-face interviews with a systematic sampling technique and used bi-variable and multivariable logistic regression models for analysis. To improve the strength of the evidence, future studies could consider using a longitudinal design to establish causality and include a larger sample size for more representative results.

Background: The majority of maternal deaths occur during delivery and the immediate postnatal period as a result of delays in seeking care, failure to reach health institutions, and receiving inappropriate health care. In developing countries, delayed access to timely healthcare contributes to high maternal mortality and morbidity. Objective: This study aimed to assess the delays during emergency obstetric care and associated factors with delays during emergency obstetric care. Method: A cross-sectional study design was conducted. We chose five hospitals at random in the South Gondar zone, Ethiopia. Face-to-face Interviews were conducted with 459 participants using a systematic sampling technique. For this analysis, bi-variable and multivariable logistic regression models were used. The Adjusted Odds Ratio was used to determine the statistical association with delays during emergency obstetric care at p-value <0.05 with a 95% confidence interval. Results: The proportion of delays during emergency obstetric care were found to be 59.7% in this study. The respondents’ mean age was 27.23 years old, with a standard error of 5.67. Pregnant mothers living in the rural areas (AOR: 4.1, 95%, CI: 2.36 to 6.25), no ANC visit (AOR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.32 to 3.18), uneducated women (AOR: 4.6, 95% CI: 2.45 to 8.59) and referral to a higher level of care (AOR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.60 to 4.44), were all significantly associated with delay. Conclusion: Delay during emergency obstetric care was found to be 59.7 percent. Rural residency, absence of ANC visit, uneducated mothers, and referred mothers from one level to the next level of care were factors that contributed to delays in emergency obstetric care in the study area.

An institutional-based cross-sectional study design was used to assess delays during emergency obstetric care and associated factors among all mothers who gave birth in selected hospitals between June to July 2019. This study was conducted in five selected hospitals in the South Gondar zone of Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia. Debre Tabor town serves as the zone’s capital. The town is located about 667 kilometers northwest of Addis Ababa and 103 kilometers northwest of Bahir Dar, the Amhara Regional State’s capital city. There are 2,609,823 inhabitants the administrative zone, including 1,304,911 female population [10]. One general government hospital (Debre Tabor General Hospital) and seven additional governmental hospitals (Mekane-Eyesus, Andabet, Nifas-Mewucha, Addis-Zemen, Tach Gait, Wogeda, and Event) serve the population, which is supplemented by 96 other public health centers. Agriculture is the main source of income for the majority of the population. All women who gave birth at South Gondar hospitals in 2019. All women who gave birth in randomly selected hospitals in the South Gondar zone during the data collection period. The sample size was determined using a single population proportion formula with the following assumptions: 76.3% [29] of the women who experienced delays to institutional delivery care, a 5% margin of error, 1.5 design effects, and a 10% non-response rate. We chose five hospitals at random in the South Gondar zone, Ethiopia. Interviews were conducted with 459 participants using a systematic sampling technique. Dependent variable: Delays during emergency obstetric care Independent variables: Face–to–face interviews were conducted with postpartum mothers in a private room before discharge. Women who were critically ill as a result of obstetric complications were not interviewed. Instead, their attendants were interviewed to include reports from those who have suffered as a result of delays in emergency obstetric care. In addition, the participant’s chart was reviewed to ensure that hospital records were cross-checked. Every day, the two-degree midwives supervised the five-diploma data collectors. We wrote the questionnaire in English and sent it to a linguist for revision. Then, for simplicity, we translated it to Amharic and then back to English to keep the consistency of the tool. One day of training was provided to data collectors and supervisors. The training was focused on the purpose of the study, data collection techniques, and data checks for completeness and consistency. The researchers were the only ones who could access the data, which was kept in a file cabinet. Pre-testing was performed on the questionnaire to ensure participant response, language clarity, and questionnaire appropriateness. At Wogera Hospital, data collectors interviewed 5% of the sample size to test the questionnaire. At the end of the test, ambiguous and culturally sensitive questions were amended, clarified, and adjusted before data collection began. Meaningful participants were adopted this study in increase the relevance of the research work, enhance research excellence, and help ensure patient participation is as safe, sensitive, and ethical as possible. Their advice when designing, implementing, and evaluating research invariably makes studies more effective, more credible, and often more cost-efficient as well. It can provide health benefits to patients and their families by providing the satisfaction of having influenced care, being listened to, gaining additional insight into their issues, and providing social interaction and engagement. The data were coded and entered into Epi-data version 3.1. Then, we exported it to Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS) version 20.00 for data checking, cleaning, and analysis. We used binary logistic regression to identify statistically significant independent variables. We used bi-variable and multivariable logistic regression models for this analysis. The independent variables having a p-value of less than 0.2 were entered into multivariable logistic regression for further analysis and to adjust confounding variables. The Adjusted Odds Ratio was used to determine the statistical association with delays during emergency obstetric care at p-value <0.05 with a 95% confidence interval.

Based on the information provided, here are some potential innovations that could improve access to maternal health:

1. Telemedicine: Implementing telemedicine services can help overcome geographical barriers and improve access to healthcare for pregnant women in rural areas. Through telemedicine, pregnant women can consult with healthcare providers remotely, receive prenatal care, and access emergency obstetric care when needed.

2. Mobile health (mHealth) applications: Developing mobile applications specifically designed for maternal health can provide pregnant women with important information, reminders for prenatal visits, and access to emergency services. These applications can also provide educational resources on pregnancy, childbirth, and postnatal care.

3. Community health workers: Training and deploying community health workers can help bridge the gap between healthcare facilities and pregnant women in remote areas. These workers can provide basic prenatal care, educate women on the importance of seeking timely healthcare, and facilitate referrals to higher-level facilities when necessary.

4. Transportation solutions: Improving transportation infrastructure and implementing transportation services specifically for pregnant women can help reduce delays in reaching healthcare facilities. This can include providing ambulances or other means of transportation for pregnant women in need of emergency obstetric care.

5. Health education programs: Implementing comprehensive health education programs that target both pregnant women and their communities can help raise awareness about the importance of seeking timely healthcare. These programs can address cultural beliefs, myths, and misconceptions surrounding pregnancy and childbirth, and provide accurate information on the benefits of prenatal care and skilled birth attendance.

It is important to note that these recommendations are general and may need to be adapted to the specific context and challenges faced in the South Gondar zone of Ethiopia.
AI Innovations Description
Based on the study titled “Delays during emergency obstetric care and their determinants among mothers who gave birth in South Gondar zone hospitals, Ethiopia,” the following recommendations can be developed into an innovation to improve access to maternal health:

1. Strengthening ANC (Antenatal Care) Services: The study found that the absence of ANC visits was significantly associated with delays in emergency obstetric care. To address this, an innovation could focus on improving access to and utilization of ANC services. This could include initiatives such as mobile ANC clinics, community outreach programs, and education campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of ANC visits.

2. Enhancing Education and Awareness: The study identified that uneducated women were more likely to experience delays in emergency obstetric care. To address this, an innovation could focus on providing education and awareness programs specifically targeting women in rural areas. This could involve community-based education sessions, mobile health apps with educational content, and partnerships with local organizations to promote health literacy.

3. Improving Referral Systems: The study found that referral to a higher level of care was significantly associated with delays in emergency obstetric care. An innovation could focus on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of referral systems. This could involve implementing telemedicine technologies for remote consultations, establishing clear protocols and guidelines for referrals, and training healthcare providers on proper referral procedures.

4. Addressing Rural Residency Challenges: The study identified that pregnant mothers living in rural areas were more likely to experience delays in emergency obstetric care. An innovation could focus on addressing the challenges faced by rural residents in accessing maternal health services. This could include initiatives such as mobile clinics, transportation subsidies, and community health worker programs to provide support and assistance to pregnant women in rural areas.

Overall, the key recommendations from the study suggest the need for comprehensive interventions that address multiple factors contributing to delays in emergency obstetric care. By implementing innovative solutions that target ANC services, education and awareness, referral systems, and rural residency challenges, access to maternal health can be improved, leading to a reduction in maternal mortality and morbidity.
AI Innovations Methodology
Based on the provided information, here are some potential recommendations to improve access to maternal health:

1. Strengthening Antenatal Care (ANC) Services: Emphasize the importance of ANC visits and provide education and awareness campaigns to encourage pregnant women, especially those in rural areas, to seek regular ANC check-ups. This can help identify and address potential complications early on, reducing the risk of delays during emergency obstetric care.

2. Enhancing Referral Systems: Improve the coordination and efficiency of referral systems between different levels of healthcare facilities. This can involve training healthcare providers on proper referral protocols, ensuring timely communication and transportation for referred mothers, and establishing clear guidelines for when and how to refer patients.

3. Community-Based Interventions: Implement community-based interventions to increase awareness about maternal health and the importance of seeking timely care. This can involve engaging community health workers, traditional birth attendants, and local leaders to disseminate information, provide support, and facilitate access to healthcare services.

4. Addressing Educational Disparities: Develop programs to improve access to education, particularly for women in rural areas. By empowering women through education, they can make informed decisions about their health and seek appropriate care when needed.

To simulate the impact of these recommendations on improving access to maternal health, a methodology could include the following steps:

1. Define the indicators: Identify specific indicators that reflect access to maternal health, such as the proportion of women receiving ANC visits, the time taken to reach a healthcare facility during emergencies, or the percentage of women referred to higher levels of care.

2. Collect baseline data: Gather data on the current status of the identified indicators before implementing the recommendations. This can involve surveys, interviews, or analysis of existing data sources.

3. Implement the recommendations: Introduce the recommended interventions, such as strengthening ANC services, enhancing referral systems, and community-based interventions. Ensure proper implementation and monitor the progress of each intervention.

4. Collect post-intervention data: After a sufficient period of time, collect data on the indicators again to assess the impact of the implemented recommendations. This can involve repeating the same data collection methods used in the baseline assessment.

5. Analyze the data: Compare the baseline and post-intervention data to determine the changes in the identified indicators. Calculate the percentage change or any other relevant statistical measures to quantify the impact of the recommendations.

6. Interpret the results: Analyze the findings to understand the effectiveness of the recommendations in improving access to maternal health. Identify any challenges or limitations encountered during the implementation process.

7. Make adjustments and improvements: Based on the results and analysis, make necessary adjustments to the interventions to further enhance their impact. This can involve refining strategies, addressing identified barriers, or expanding successful interventions to other areas.

By following this methodology, it is possible to simulate the impact of the recommendations on improving access to maternal health and make evidence-based decisions for future interventions.

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