Incentive-Plus, a Driver of Knowledge and Hospital Delivery Uptake among Pregnant Women in Rural Communities in Benue State
Keywords:
health facility delivery, Incentives, knowledge, promote, rural communitiesAbstract
In Nigeria, less than half of pregnant women have adequate knowledge of hospital delivery, and most home deliveries occur among women who do not attend ANC, particularly in rural areas. This is largely driven by low socioeconomic status and poor education. This study assessed the effectiveness of sustained health education and mama kit incentives in improving knowledge and uptake of facility-based delivery. A quasi-experimental study was conducted across twelve communities. Sampling technique was multistage, with statistical significance set at p ≤ 0.05. The overall baseline knowledge of health facility delivery was good in both the study (77.9%) and control (80.5%) groups. In the study group, a monthly income ≥₦10,000 and formal education were significant predictors of good knowledge of hospital delivery (OR = 2.21; 95% CI: 0.93–5.24) and (OR = 2.97; 95% CI: 1.38–6.38), respectively. Similarly, a monthly income ≥₦10,000 was a significant predictor of hospital delivery in both the study (OR = 2.29; 95% CI: 1.26–5.58) and control (OR = 2.83; 95% CI: 1.32–6.08) groups. Following the intervention, there was a statistically significant increase in both knowledge and hospital delivery uptake in the study group. In conclusion, the intervention improved knowledge and uptake of hospital delivery. A coordinated state–federal partnership is recommended to scale up awareness campaigns and provide Mama Kits to pregnant women, thereby enhancing the utilization of facility-based delivery services.
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