A study to determine the impact of health education on pregnant women who attend outreach clinics in Katete district

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the impact of health education on pregnant women who attended outreach clinics in Katele District. A comparative cross-sectional study with a structured interview schedule for the women and untrained Traditional Birth Attendants was conducted. A locus group discussion and a check list for trained traditional birth attendants who delivered the women were also used. A total of 9,711 pregnant women were catered by outreach clinics. The three chief’s administrative areas were used as clusters namely; Kawaza, Mbaombe and Kathumba. Two areas in each cluster were randomly selected using Central Statistics and Katete District maps. Six (6) outreach centres were in turn randomly picked from eighty (8U) outreach centres that offered maternal health services. One hundred and twenty seven (127) pregnant women were interviewed with their consent. Sixty eight (68) from Kawaza, forty five (45) from Mbangombe and fourteen (14) from Kathumba were interviewed. Fifteen (15) untrained Traditional Birth Attendants (UTBAs) were also interviewed: five (5) from Kawaza, four (4) from Mbangombe and six (6) from Kathumba. Ten (10) trained Traditional Birth Attendants (TTBAs) in Kawaza and three (3) in Mbangombe were also interviewed. Two (2; TTBAs had separate interviews in Kathumba.Because of the small number of respondents interviewed in Kathumba. Further analysis excluded Kathumba. Age was not associated with knowledge of significance of maternal health education in Kawaza (p = 0.198) nor in Mbangombe (p = 0.226). The knowledge of significance of maternal health education was similar in both areas (p = 0.1()1). Overall, 85 {75.29() out of 113 respondents had knowledge of significance of maternal health education. No difference in knowledge of high risk conditions was observed between Kawaza and Mbangome (p = 0.090). Altogether 132 (61.1%) out of 216 respondents had knowledge of high-risk conditions. No association was observed between education and knowledge of high-risk conditions in Kawaza (p = 0.111) and in Mbangombe (p = 0.367). The proportions of respondents in Kawaza (19.6%) and in Mbangombe (33.3%) who had a high-risk condition were not significantly different (p = 0.124). Overall, 25 (25.5%) out of 98 respondents in the study had a high risk condition. Untrained TBAs attempted to deliver complicated labour. Trained TBAs delivered "high risk" labours. There was an overwhelming willingness by all untrained TBAs to learn more about maternal health through health education. The trained TBAs desired a more coordinated effective system. There is room to improve the health system to be more efficient and effective in maternal child health education.