Factors Influencing Intermitent Presumptive Treatment Utilization Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic in Kawolo Hospital Buikwe District.

Abstract

Malaria is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Uganda. It poses a real danger on the health of pregnant women. Intermittent Presumptive Treatment for Malaria (IPT) helps to prevent/treat malaria during pregnancy. In Buikwe District the numbers of mothers that receive IPT utilisation are few but the factors behind this were not known. The study therefore aimed at identifying the factors that influence IPT utilisation among pregnant women attending Kawolo Hospital. The study had three specific objectives including the prevalence IPT utilisation, socio-demographic factors, institutional and personal factors that influence IPT utilisation among pregnant women attending Kawolo Hospital. The study was a cross-sectional, descriptive and quantitative in nature with a sample of 384 pregnant women in their third trimester. A questionnaire was used to collect data and data was analysed using MS Excel and SPSS computer programs. Finding indicated that Intermittent Presumptive Treatment for Malaria1 (IPT1), Intermittent Presumptive Treatment for Malaria2 (IPT2) and no IPT utilisation among respondents was 48.7%, 45.1% and 0.3% respectively. Socio-demographic factors that had a significant positive relationship with IPT utilisation included level of education and employment status. Furthermore, institutional factors like long distances to the facility and high costs of transport lead to poor utilisation of IPT. However, the availability of adequate staff, drugs and staff positive attitude promoted utilization of IPT. Personal factors like getting information from Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs)/peers, use of local herbs, delayed Antenatal Clinic (ANC) attendance negatively influenced mothers on use of IPT. It was recommended increased IPT utilisation can be achieved by advocating for more education of a girl child, more health education of pregnant women for early ANC attendance, continuous medical education of Midwives and availing all anti-malaria services/drugs at Kawolo hospital.