The effect of maternal health-seeking behaviour on under-five mortality in Zimbabwe
dc.contributor.author | Chadoka, Nyasha | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2012-02-29T10:25:39Z | |
dc.date.available | 2012-02-29T10:25:39Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2012-02-29 | |
dc.description | M.A., Faculty of Humanties, University of the Witwartersrand, 2011 | en_US |
dc.description.abstract | Background: This study examines the relationship between maternal health-seeking behaviour (during and after pregnancy) and under-five mortality in Zimbabwe. Maternal health-seeking behaviour affects both the mother’s and child’s health and has been identified as a correlate of under-five mortality. This study therefore aims to determine the extent to which maternal health-seeking behaviour prior, during and post delivery may influence the likelihood of under-five survival among Zimbabwean children. Methods: This study is a secondary data analysis of the 2005-06 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) dataset of children under five years old and women who had given birth in the five years preceding the survey. A multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between maternal health-seeking behaviour and under-five mortality. Results: The results show that poor maternal health-seeking behaviour as indicated by not receiving the tetanus vaccine during pregnancy is significantly associated with under-five mortality. That is, not receiving the tetanus vaccine during pregnancy is significantly associated with increased risk of under-five mortality (p= 0.013 CI=1.11-2.53). The results also show that there is no significant association between under-five mortality and other indicators of maternal health-seeking behaviour such as antenatal care, place of delivery and assistance at delivery. However, having a preceding birth interval greater than 2 years was also found to be significantly associated with under-five mortality implying that under-five mortality declines as the length of birth interval increases. Conclusion: Maternal health-seeking behaviour during pregnancy as reflected by maternal tetanus immunisation during pregnancy associate with under-five mortality. However, contrary to other studies that have been done elsewhere; antenatal care, place of delivery and assistance at delivery do not seem to associate with under-five mortality in Zimbabwe according to this study. The preceding birth interval is also a good predictor of under-five mortality in Zimbabwe. | en_US |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10539/11382 | |
dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
dc.title | The effect of maternal health-seeking behaviour on under-five mortality in Zimbabwe | en_US |
dc.type | Thesis | en_US |
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