Religion as a Social Determinant of Maternal Health Care Service Utilisation in Nigeria

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between religious affiliation and utilisation of maternal health care services using 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey data. The outcome variable is utilisation of maternal health care service measured by antenatal care and place of delivery. The explanatory variables were religion and three purposively selected social determinants of health, namely the social gradient, work condition and social exclusion. The chi-square test and multinomial logistic regression were applied. Result show that 50.7% had the recommended 4 or more antenatal care visits; 23.4% and 13.5% respectively utilise public and private sector facilities for their most recent child delivery. The relative risk of having 4 or more antenatal visits reduce by a factor of 0.7863 for Muslim women (p<0.05), and increase by a factor of 5.3806 for women in higher social ladder (p<0.01). Religion should be integrated into the social determinants of health framework. . Keywords: Religion, maternal, health care, utilisation, women, social determinant Résumé Cette étude examine la relation entre l'appartenance religieuse et l'utilisation des services de soins de santé maternelle à l'aide des données de 2013 au Nigeria enquêtes démographiques et sanitaires . La variable de résultat est l'utilisation des services de soins de santé maternelle mesurée par les soins prénatals et lieu de livraison . Les variables explicatives sont la religion et trois déterminants sociaux choisis à dessein de la santé , à savoir le gradient social , condition de travail et l'exclusion sociale . Le test du chi -carré et de régression logistique multinomiale ont été appliquées . Résultat montrent que 50,7 % avaient les 4 ou plusieurs visites prénatales recommandées ; 23,4 % et 13,5 % utilisent respectivement les établissements du secteur public et privé pour leur prestation la plus récente de l'enfant . Le risque relatif d'avoir 4 ou plusieurs visites prénatales à réduire par un facteur de 0,7863 pour les femmes musulmanes ( p <0,05 ) , et une augmentation par un facteur de 5,3806 pour les femmes dans l'échelle sociale plus élevé ( p < 0,01 ) . La religion devrait être intégré dans les déterminants sociaux.

Prevalence and factors associated with non-utilization of healthcare facility for childbirth in rural and urban Nigeria: Analysis of a national population-based survey

“…The finding for traditional or other religions may be an extension of the impacts of traditional beliefs and practices in Nigeria, although the result was probably expected in the rural residence where traditional religion would ordinarily be more prominent. The finding in respect of Islamic religion compares well with studies reporting low utilization of maternal services among the Muslims which may be due to religious obligations such as require Muslim women to avoid undue exposure of their body [28,30]. The use of a nationally representative dataset disaggregated by rural-urban residence is a remarkable strength of this study, and in view of the large sample size of the dataset, disaggregation does not undermine generalizability.…”

Traditional Maternal Health Beliefs and Practices in Southern Tigray: The Case of Raya Alamata District

“…Religion is central to life in many parts of Africa along with the positive virtues of religion should be optimally exploited to promote maternal health [37]. In substantiating the above idea, the finding showed that religious beliefs and practices are served as a source of psychological or emotional therapy for labor women in the study area.…”

“…As a result, many of the rural women died before they have reached health facilities and others also lose their infant during labor and delivery. Studies in Nigeria also showed that religious beliefs can cause several African women to ignore vital maternal health care services, refuse to be attended to by male health personnel, and prefer faith to quality medicine [37]. Similarly, in some Muslim community of this study area Muslim women were restricted from getting modern delivery care services.…”

Home childbirth among young mothers aged 15–24 years in Nigeria: a national population-based cross-sectional study

“…Consistent with previous reports for all reproductive-aged women in respect of other maternal healthcare services utilisation,7 10 37 44 we found increased odds of home delivery among young mothers with Islamic affiliation compared with their counterparts in the Christian religion. This finding is commonly explained using the observation that, on religious grounds, Muslim women often have a preference for female healthcare providers 37 57 58. Therefore, concern about a male healthcare worker being present during childbirth could discourage young Muslim mothers from patronising healthcare facility delivery.…”