Household wealth and maternal health

Evidence from Ghana

Bibliographic Data

ID21515707
AuthorsChristian Kwaku Osei (0000-0002-8374-4835, University of Ghana), Edward Nketiah-Amponsah, Edward Nketiah‐amponsah (0000-0002-9754-1983, University of Ghana), Monica Lambon-Quayefio (0000-0003-4126-6430, University of Ghana), Monica Puoma Lambon-Quayefio
Year2020
Volume48
Issue1
Pages63-83
Publication date2020-11-23
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Social Economics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0306-8293 • E-ISSN: 1758-6712
PublisherEmerald (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1108/ijse-03-2020-0153
OpenAlexW3100162165
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited32

Purpose In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) revised upwards the recommended contacts for antenatal care (ANC) by expectant mothers with a health provider from a minimum of four to eight over the pregnancy period. Although Ghana is yet to adopt the new recommendation, some women choose to adhere to the new protocol because of its enormous health benefits to the expecting mother and the unborn child. As part of ANC, family planning services are also provided to ensure child spacing and birth control. To reduce health costs, government introduced the free maternal health policy, Community-based Health Planning Services, Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty and established the Northern Development Authority to increase access to healthcare and also create wealth. Given these interventions, the study hypothesizes that household wealth would not have a significant influence on antenatal visits and modern contraceptive use. Therefore, this paper aims to examine whether household wealth would play any significant role on the new minimum contacts proxied by antenatal visits and also on the use of modern contraceptives as a family planning counselling tool during ANC visits. The study further examines a possible heterogeneity effect of paternal characteristic on maternal health service utilization. Design/methodology/approach The study used data from the most recent Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS, 2014). Both bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to investigate the effects of household wealth on the number of antenatal visits and modern contraceptive use. The bivariate analysis employed the use of chi-square test whiles, the multivariate analysis involved estimations using logistic regressions. Findings The findings show that household wealth would play a critical role given the revised WHO minimum ANC contacts by expectant mothers. Household wealth exerts a positive and significant effect on ANC for all wealth quintiles for women who attended at least eight ANC visits, but was insignificant for the poorer and middle quintiles of those who attended four to seven visits. Wealth, however, had an insignificant relationship with modern contraceptive use. Generally, education, age, birth order, media exposure as well as geographical locations had a significant influence on both ANC visits and modern contraceptive use. The study further revealed a heterogeneous effect on ANC attendance. In particular, despite the relatively poor conditions, women in rural areas whose partners/husbands have attained a minimum of secondary education are about twice more likely to attend 4–7 antenatal visits compared to their counterparts whose husbands/partners are without education. Hence, a holistic health education, which includes husbands/partners in the rural areas as well as strengthening interventions that improve livelihoods, is crucial. Originality/value Health guidelines are constantly reviewed, and government policies must adapt accordingly. This paper looks at the significant role household wealth still plays on modern contraceptive use and ANC visits, given the revised WHO minimum ANC contacts and uniquely underscores the influence of paternal characteristics on the utilization of these maternal health services

Business · Developing country · Economic growth · Economics · Empowerment · Environmental health · Family planning · Health care · Health facility · Health services · Population · Poverty · Psychological intervention · Reproductive health · Global Health Care Issues · Global Maternal and Child Health · Healthcare Systems and Reforms · Medicine · Nursing