| Inequalities in utilisation of essential antenatal services for women with disabilities in Pakistan: analysis of a cross-sectional demographic and health
survey of Pakistan 2017–2018 |
| Authors: |
Waqas Hameed, Muhammad Asim, Sarah Saleem & Bilal Iqbal Avan |
| Source: |
BMJ Open, 13 |
| Topic(s): |
Antenatal care
Health care utilization
Inequality
Maternal health
|
| Country: |
Asia
Pakistan
|
| Published: |
JUL 2023 |
| Abstract: |
Objectives: Although the number of disabled women
entering motherhood is growing, there is little quantitative
evidence about the utilisation of essential antenatal care
(ANC) services by women with disabilities. We examined
inequalities in the use of essential ANC services between
women with and without disabilities.
Design, setting and analysis: A secondary analysis of
cross-sectional data from recent Demographic and Health
Survey of Pakistan 2017–2018 was performed using
logistic regression.
Participants: A total weighted sample of 6791 evermarried women (age 15–49) who had a live birth in the 5
years before the survey were included.
Outcome measures: Utilisation of ANC: (A) antenatal
coverage: (1) received ANC and (2) completed four or more
ANC visits and (B) utilisation of essential components of
ANC.
Results: The percentage of women who were at risk of
disability and those living with disability in one or more
domains was 11.5% and 2.6%, respectively. The coverage
of ANC did not differ by disability status. With utilisation of
essential ANC components, consumption of iron was lower
(adjusted OR, aOR=0.6; p<0.05), while advice on exclusive
breast feeding (aOR=1.6; p<0.05) and urine test (aOR=1.7;
p<0.05) was higher among women with disabilities as
compared with their counterparts. Similarly, the odds of
receiving advice on maintaining a balanced diet was higher
(aOR=1.3; p<0.05) among women at risk of any disability as
opposed to their counterparts. Differences were also found
for these same indicators in subgroup analysis by wealth
status (poor/non-poor) and place of residence (urban–rural).
Conclusion: Our study did not find glaring inequalities
in the utilisation of ANC services between women with
disabilities and non-disabled women. This was true for
urban versus rural residence and among the poor versus
non-poor women. Some measures, however, should be
made to improve medication compliance among women
with disabilities |
| Web: |
https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/bmjopen/13/7/e074262.full.pdf |
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