Barriers to utilization of health facilities for delivery in Kenya

George O. Odwe, University of Nairobi
Alfred Otieno Agwanda, University of Nairobi
Anne Khasakhala, University of Nairobi

This paper examines major reasons for non use of facility delivery in Kenya using data from 2008/09 KDHS. Binary logistic regression was used for modeling the three dependent variables measuring reasons for non use of facility delivery: economic, facility and culture/attitude related reasons. Results suggest that most of the reasons is due to infrastructure, cost and culture. Regional differences appear significant in determining all the three reasons for non use of facility delivery in Kenya. The cultural related reasons are also related to age, education and marital status. Elderly women, women with higher education or those who were formerly married less likely to state the cultural reasons as a barrier to use of facility during delivery. To improve utilization of maternal health services, economic incentives such as free maternity services need to be tempered with programs aimed at improving the health systems and removing the social and cultural barriers.