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Exploring the Prevalence of Disrespect and Abuse during Childbirth in Kenya

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  • Timothy Abuya
  • Charlotte E Warren
  • Nora Miller
  • Rebecca Njuki
  • Charity Ndwiga
  • Alice Maranga
  • Faith Mbehero
  • Anne Njeru
  • Ben Bellows

Abstract

Background: Poor quality of care including fear of disrespect and abuse (D&A) perpetuated by health workers influences women’s decisions to seek maternity care. Key manifestations of D&A include: physical abuse, non-consented care, non-confidential care, non-dignified care, discrimination, abandonment, and detention in facilities. This paper describes manifestations of D&A experienced in Kenya and measures their prevalence. Methods: This paper is based on baseline data collected during a before-and-after study designed to measure the effect of a package of interventions to reduce the prevalence of D&A experienced by women during labor and delivery in thirteen Kenyan health facilities. Data were collected through an exit survey of 641 women discharged from postnatal wards. We present percentages of D&A manifestations and odds ratios of its relationship with demographic characteristics using a multivariate fixed effects logistic regression model. Results: Twenty percent of women reported any form of D&A. Manifestations of D&A includes: non-confidential care (8.5%), non-dignified care (18%), neglect or abandonment (14.3%), Non-consensual care (4.3%) physical abuse (4.2%) and, detainment for non-payment of fees (8.1). Women aged 20-29 years were less likely to experience non-confidential care compared to those under 19; OR: [0.6 95% CI (0.36, 0.90); p=0.017]. Clients with no companion during delivery were less likely to experience inappropriate demands for payment; OR: [0.49 (0.26, 0.95); p=0.037]; while women with higher parities were three times more likely to be detained for lack of payment and five times more likely to be bribed compared to those experiencing there first birth. Conclusion: One out of five women experienced feeling humiliated during labor and delivery. Six categories of D&A during childbirth in Kenya were reported. Understanding the prevalence of D&A is critical in developing interventions at national, health facility and community levels to address the factors and drivers that influence D&A in facilities and to encourage clients’ future facility utilization.

Suggested Citation

  • Timothy Abuya & Charlotte E Warren & Nora Miller & Rebecca Njuki & Charity Ndwiga & Alice Maranga & Faith Mbehero & Anne Njeru & Ben Bellows, 2015. "Exploring the Prevalence of Disrespect and Abuse during Childbirth in Kenya," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(4), pages 1-13, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0123606
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123606
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Kruk, M.E. & Paczkowski, M. & Mbaruku, G. & De Pinho, H. & Galea, S., 2009. "Women's preferences for place of delivery in rural Tanzania: A population-based discrete choice experiment," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 99(9), pages 1666-1672.
    3. Jewkes, Rachel & Levin, Jonathan & Penn-Kekana, Loveday, 2002. "Risk factors for domestic violence: findings from a South African cross-sectional study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 55(9), pages 1603-1617, November.
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    1. Patience A Afulani & Cheryl Moyer, 2016. "Explaining Disparities in Use of Skilled Birth Attendants in Developing Countries: A Conceptual Framework," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(4), pages 1-16, April.

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