Factors associated with health facility delivery in West and Central Africa: A multilevel analysis of seven countries

Abstract

We examined associations between individual and community socioeconomic status (SES) and childbirth in a health facility in West and Central Africa using data from the 2009–2011 United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey for women in seven countries (n = 34,487). Individual SES measures were education and wealth; community SES was low or high poverty index. In adjusted results, women residing in communities with high poverty had significantly lower odds of facility delivery than those who lived in more affluent communities in five countries (all p < 0.001). Reducing out-of-pocket healthcare costs may improve women’s access to delivery in health facilities.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Akin Ogundiran, PhD, for his review of an earlier draft of this manuscript.