Cost analysis and attitudinal study of abortion among health workers and women admitted to hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
[Thesis]
S. W. Masho
M. D. Potts
University of California, Berkeley
1997
195
Dr.P.H.
University of California, Berkeley
1997
This dissertation determines the magnitude of abortion, enumerates factors influencing attitudes of women and health care providers towards abortion and compares the cost of complicated and uncomplicated abortions among women visiting health institutions in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Face to face interview was conducted in 900 randomly selected women visiting three hospitals and a clinic in Addis Ababa. To assess the attitudes of health workers, 300 health care providers were randomly chosen and self administered questionnaire was administered. The cost of incomplete/complicated abortion and menstrual regulation was compared by obtaining data from two selected health institutions. Predictors and factors influencing the attitudes of abortion were determined using chi-square tests, odds ratios, t-tests and logistic regression analyses. The study showed that, 39 percent of the interviewed women had history of one or more self inflicted abortions. However, when the estimation was done excluding abortion patients, only 15 percent admitted to have had intentionally induced the abortions. Women visiting the health institutions for child birth were 2.5 times less likely to have self inflicted abortion but more likely to have had two or more intentionally induced abortions. The Kapor and Beric index demonstrated that women visiting the health institutions for child birth and other causes were using abortion as a method of fertility control. The logistic regression analysis showed that age, marital status, education, employment, and number of children were the most important predictors of self inflicted abortion. Women who are young, never married, educated, Orthodox Christians, contraceptive users, had previous abortions, and desire fewer number of children were more likely to have favorable attitudes. Health care providers have favorable attitudes towards legalization of abortion. The study also showed that the cost of incomplete abortion is significantly higher than the cost of menstrual regulation usd\rm (p < 0.05).usd In conclusion, women who had abortion are segments of the population with strong need for intervention programs. Family health education and family planning programs should address young women and adolescents who want to postpone child birth. Furthermore, menstrual regulation services and the use of manual vacuum aspiration should be encouraged as part of an integrated reproductive health care for women.