Factors Affecting Maternal Health Care Services In Government Hospitals And Health Centers: A Case Of Dodoma Urban-Tanzania

ABSTRACT

The study focuses on The Factors Affecting Maternal Health Care Services in Government Hospitals and Health Centers in Dodoma Urban as social problem affecting most of women under the study area. It was guided by the following specific objectives; to evaluate maternal health care provider‟s availability situation in the study area, to examine the accessibility of maternal health care facilities/services in the study area and to investigate effects of relationship between maternal health care providers and expectant mothers in maternal health care service delivery. Sample size of hundred (100) respondents was employed so as to get relevant and reliable information concerning to the study and probability and non probability sampling procedures was utilized to get this sample. Primary and secondary data were utilized whereby social survey and interview used as method of data collection. Also questionnaire and interview schedule was utilized to get primary data. Data analysis employed both qualitative and quantitative; whereby SPSS Version 16. The investigation of this work reveals that factors affecting maternal health care services are lack of maternal health care providers, deplorable relationships between maternal health care providers and expectant mothers as well as pitiable and inaccessibility of maternal health care services. These factors result in the increase of infant and maternal mortality rate, disability to expectant mothers as well as burden to maternal health care providers. On the basis of the findings the study recommended that in order to improve maternal health care services maternal health care providers should be increased; ensure availability of maternal health care facilities as well as to improve relationships between maternal health care providers and expectant mothers. Eventually and conclusively, the study winds up with confirming that the study concerning to factors affecting maternal health services were of important since maternal mortality is an obstacle for development of any society or country.