Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of skilled assistance seeking for maternal healthcare services and associated factors among Women in West shoa zone, Oromia, Region, Ethiopia, 2017

Abstract Background: Access to skilled health services during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum is crucial element which promotes the health and wellbeing of the mother and new born. The aim of the study was to assess women’s knowledge, attitude and practice of skilled assistance seeking for maternal healthcare services in West Shoa zone. Methods: A community based cross sectional quantitative design was conducted in West Shoa zone, Oromia, Ethiopia in 2017. A multistage, random sampling technique was used to select women who had birth in the past one year preceding the study. Interviewed administered structured questionnaire were used to collect the data. A total of 654 women were involved in this study. Data was analysed using SPSS version 20 statistical software package. Pre-tested and structured questionnaires were used to collect the data by trained data collectors. Logistic regression model was used to control the confounding variables at p-value< 0.05. Results: Out of 654 respondents, 416 (63.6%) delivered at health facilities and 268 (36.4%) at home. Skilled assistance seeking for maternal health services was significantly associated with mother’s education (AOR=3.0, 95%CI=1.18-7.84), mother’s access to maternal health information (AOR=3.1, 95% CI=1.13-8.41). Women’s awareness was significantly associated with antenatal‐care attendance (AOR 1.9) and institutional delivery (AOR 3.1). Women who had experience obstetric problems were twice seek skilled provider than those who had not had complications (AOR=2.3, 95%CI=1.39-3.75. P-value=0.001). Women who experiences complications seek a skilled postnatal care more likely compared with those who did not have such characters (AOR=2.2, 95%CI=1.35-3.66. P-value=0.002). Conclusion: The study revealed that low practice of sought care from skilled providers. Hence, it is highly recommended to improve the socioeconomic factors such as maternal literacy, availability of transport facility in case of emergency referral and service availability may increase care seeking from health facilities. Keywords: Skilled assistance, Seeking and Maternal healthcare services.