• Login
    • Login
    Advanced Search
    View Item 
    •   AMREF IR Home
    • Research Papers
    • General - GEN
    • General - GEN
    • View Item
    •   AMREF IR Home
    • Research Papers
    • General - GEN
    • General - GEN
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Traditional Birth Attendants in Pastoralist Communities of Laikipia and Samburu Counties, Kenya: a Cross-sectional Survey

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    Research article (401.0Kb)
    Publication Date
    11/26/2016
    Authors
    Reeve, Matthew
    Onyo, Pamela
    Nyagero, Josephat
    Morgan, Alison
    Nduba, John
    Kermode, Michelle
    Show More
    (6 total)
    Type
    Article, Journal
    Item Usage Stats
    12
    views
    1
    downloads
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation

    The Pan African Medical Journal. 2016;25 (Supp 2):13

    Abstract/Overview

    Introduction: current efforts to reduce maternal and newborn mortality focus on promoting institutional deliveries with skilled birth attendants (SBAs), and discouraging deliveries at home attended by traditional birth attendants (TBAs). In rural Kenya, semi-nomadic pastoralist communities are underserved by the formal health system, experience high maternal and neonatal mortality, and rely primarily on TBAs for delivery care, despite Government proscription of TBA-assisted births. This study examined the knowledge, attitude and practices of TBAs serving these communities to assess the potential for collaboration between TBAs and SBAs. Methods: a cross-sectional, interviewer-administered survey was conducted among 171 TBAs from Maasai and Samburu pastoralist communities in Laikipia and Samburu counties, Kenya, as part of a larger mixed-methods study in partnership with a local service provider. Results: BAs were relatively elderly (mean age 59.6 years), and attended an average of 5-6 deliveries per year. A minority (22.2%) had received formal training. They provided antenatal, intra-partum and post-partum care. Most TBA care was non-interventionist, but not necessarily consistent with best practice. Most had encountered birth complications, but knowledge regarding management of complications was sub-optimal. Most had previously referred at least one woman to a health facility (80.1%), were key participants in decision making to refer women (96.5%), and had been present at an institutional delivery (54.4%). Conclusion: TBAs continue to be key providers of maternal and neonatal healthcare in regions where the formal health system has poor coverage or acceptability. Strengthening existing TBA/SBA collaborations could improve both community links to the formal health system, and the quality of care provided to pastoralist women, while remaining consistent with current Government policy.

    Subject/Keywords
    Maternal and child health; Skilled birth attendants; Traditional birth attendants; Health systems; Pastoralist communities; Kenya
    Further Details

    © Matthew Reeve et al. The Pan African Medical Journal - ISSN 1937-8688. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

    Publisher
    Pan African Medical Journal
    ISSN
    1937-8688
    Series
    Strengthening health systems in communities: the experiences of AMREF Health Africa;Supp. 2: 13
    Permalink
    http://repository.amref.org/handle/123456789/135
    Collections
    • General - GEN [355]

    Amref International University. All rights reserved | Copyright © 2021 
    Contact Us | Send Feedback

     

     

    Quick Links
    Amref International UniversityAmref Health AfricaKLISC

    Browse

    All of AMREF IRCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsTypeThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsType

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    Statistics

    View Usage Statistics

    Amref International University. All rights reserved | Copyright © 2021 
    Contact Us | Send Feedback