Effectiveness of Community Health Workers in Promotion of Maternal Health Services in Butere District, Rural Western Kenya

摘要

In Kenya, Maternal Mortality Rate remains high at 488 deaths per 100,000 live births and the scenario is even worse in rural areas. Community Health Workers (CHWs) are integral in community mobilization to reduce maternal mortality, which is far more dependent on specific facility based interventions. This study's main objective was to determine effectiveness of CHWs in promotion of maternal health services in Butere District (intervention site) and Mumias District (non intervention site) in Kenya. This was a quantitative nested study with quasi-experimental study design for the secondary data collected in 2011. Statistical Package for Social Sciences 16 was used for data analysis. Inferential Statistics were used to estimate effectiveness of CHWs. There was a significant increase in the proportion of women who had Focused Antenatal Care (FANC) from 53% to 66% and Health Facility delivery from 35% to 48% and a moderate positive relationship between these indicators in Butere District. A woman in Butere was three times likely to deliver in a Health Facility with higher odds as compared to a woman in Mumias. CHWs are effective in promotion of maternal health services and their utilization should be up scaled especially in rural population with poor health seeking behaviours.