TABLE OF CONTENTS

Declaration .......................... ......... . . .. .. ......... . ..... .. ..................................................... 1

Approval ................................................................................................................................. ii

Dedication ................................................................................................................................. iii

Acknowledgement ..................................................................................................................... iv

Table of contents ........................................................................................................................ v

List of acronyms ..................................................................................................................... viii

List of tables ............................................................................................................................ ix

List of figures ............................................................................................................................ x

Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... xi

CHAPTER ONE ..................................................................................................................... 12

1.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 12

1.1 Background to the Study .................................................................................................... 12

1.3 Problem Statement ............................................................................................................. 14

1.4 Purpose of the Study ........................................................................................................... 15

1.5 Objectives of the Study ...................................................................................................... 15

1.6 Research Questions ........................................................................................................... 16

1.7 Scope of the Study ............................................................................................................. 16

1.7.1 Time Scope ...................................................................................................................... 16

1.7.2Geographical Scope .......................................................................................................... l7

1.7.3 Subject Scope .................................................................................................................. 17

CHAPTER TWO:LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................................................... 19

2.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ I 9

2.1 The Concept ofPoverty ...................................................................................................... 19

2.2 State of Maternal Health in Sub Saharan Africa ................................................................ 20

2.3 Effects of Pove1ty on Maternal Health Service Utilization ............................................... 22

2.4 Challenges to Maternal Health Service Utilization .......................................................... 26

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY ............................................................................ 28

3.0 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 28

3.1 Research Design ................................................................................................................. 28

3.2 Area and Study Population ................................................................................................ 29

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3.3 Sa.tnple Size and Selection . ........... . .......................... 29

34 Sampling Technique..................................... . ................................. 29

3.5 Data Somces ............................................................................................................... 30

3.6 Methods of Data collection ................................................................................... 30

3 .6. i Key informant interview: .............................................................................................. 30

3.6.2 Structured Questionnaire ................................................................................................. 30

3.6.3 fQcus Group Discussions ............................................................................................... 31

3.7 Data quality control .......................................................................................................... 31

3.7.1 Validity .......................................................................................................................... 31

3. 7.2 Reliability ........................................................................................................................ 31

3.8 Data analysis and presentation ........................................................................................... 32

3 .8. I Editing ............................................................................................................................. 32

3.9 Ethical consideration .......................................................................................................... 33

3.10 Limitation of the study ..................................................................................................... 33

CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS ...................... 35

4.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 35

4. I. Demographic characteristics of the Respomtents ............................................................. 35

4.2 The State ofMaterna1 Health in Kasaawo Sub County ................................................... : 38

4.2.1 Women ever conceived .................................................................................................. 38

4.2.2 Attendance of ANC ......................................................................................................... 39

4.2.3Number oftimes attended for ANC ................................................................................. 40

4.2.4 When they started visiting the health facility .................................................................. 41

4.2.5 The person who makes decisions to go to the health facility .......................................... 42

4.2.6 Those you pay for the matemal health services at the health center .............................. 44

4.2.7 Response whether husbands accompany their wives to the health center ..................... 45

4.2.8 The time spent to be attended to by a health worker. ...................................................... 46

4.2.9 The rating of services offered in the health facility ......................................................... 48

4.2.1 0. Matemal health problems faced .................................................................................. 49

4.2.11 Place of delivery ............................................................................................................ 50

4.2.12 Distance to the health facility ................................................................................... 52

4.2.13 Helper in the process of delivery .................................................................................. 53

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4 2. I 4 Behavior of the health facility staff. ............................. . ············· ........ 5~~

4.3 Effects of Poverty on Maternal Health Service Utilization in Kasaawo Sub Cuunty ........ 56

4.3.1 Problems hindered to access health services in the health facility .............................. 56

4.3.2 Effects of poverty to access maternal health services ..................................................... 57

4.3.3. Number oftimes pregnant women eat in a day ............................................................. 58

4.3.4 Kind offoods eaten normally in a day .......................................................................... 59

4.3 .5 Ability to access mama kit ........................................................................................... 60

4.3 .6 Means o ~ transpmt used to get to the health facility ...................................................... 6 I

4.3.7 Money sJent on transpmt from home to the health fatility ............................................ 62

4.4. Challenges to Maternal Health Service Utilization ........................................................... 63

4.4.1 The response on whether the women faced challenges .................................................... 63

4.4.2 Challenges faced in utilization of maternal health services ............................................ 64

4.4.3 StTategies to the challenges ............................................................................................. 65

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS AND

RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................................................... 67

5.0 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 67

5.1 Summary and Discussion of the Findings .......................................................................... 67

5 .1.1 Demographic Characteristics of the Respondents ......................................................... 67

5.1.2 The State of Maternal Health in Kasaawo Sub County ................................................... 68

5.1.3 Effects of Pove1ty on maternal Health service utilization .............................................. 70

5.1.4 Challenges to Maternal Health Service Utilization ......................................................... 70

5.2 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................ 71

5.2. I State of Maternal Health ......................................................................... · ...................... 71

5.2.3 Effects ofPove1ty on Matemal Health Service Utilization ................ .' ..... : .................... 72

5.2.4 Challenges to Maternal Health Service Utilization ......................................................... 72

5.3 Recmmnendations .............................................................................................................. 73

REFERENCES ......................................................................................................................... 75

APPENDICIES ...................................................................................................................... 77

Appendix 1: Questionnaire .................................................................................................... 77

Appendix II: Onversity Research Letter .............................................................................. 78

ABSTRACT

 The purpose of the study was to assess the effects of poverty on maternal health servrce utilization among rural households. The study was guided by the objectives including the state of matemal health, effects of poverty on maternal health service utilization and the challenges to maternal service utilization in Kasaawo Sub County in Mukono district covering the period 2014 to 2015. Data was both pnmary and secondary. Primary data was collected by the use of questionnaires, key informant interview, focus group discussion and secondary data was got from reports, journals, text books and internet. Frequency tables and graphs were worked out basing on the data. In these frequency tables, analysis was done with a corresponding percentage. The study established that illiteracy was one of the reasons to poor maternal service utilization, this indicates that there is more need to supp011 the girl child regarding education so that females have equal opportunities and also enforce functional adult literacy to boost people's education level hence enhancing their level of understanding and giving them more knowledge concerning maternal health.