ABSTRACT
To find out the quality of ANC in the Upazila Health Complexes [PHC centres] of Bangladesh. This cross sectional study was done in purposively selected three upazilas among the clients receiving antenatal care [ANC]. Data were collected with questionnaire cum checklist in the context of two aspects of quality issues, namely assessment of physical arrangements for ANC [input] and services rendered by the providers [process]. The mean age of respondents was 24.6 +/- 4.5 years. Majority of the respondents were with primary level education [60.3%]. About half [52.8%] of the families had monthly income ranging from 3000-5000 taka [38-64 US$]. Nearly half [48.9%] had no child, little more than one third [42.3%] were primigravida and 528 [57.7%] were multigravida. Out of 528 multigravid respondents 360 [68.2%] took ANC in their previous pregnancy whereas 168 [31.8%] did not take ANC Pregnancy outcome was found to be associated with receiving ANC [? [2] =73.599; p=0.000]. Respondents receiving ANC had more good pregnancy outcome. The mean waiting time for receiving ANC was 0.77 +/- .49 hours. Out of the 13 centers, only 3 [23.1%] have sufficient instruments to render ANC services. Findings showed that where the modes of ANC service delivery in the ANC centers are fairly satisfactory. Though some of the points of standard operation procedures [SOPs] on ANC are not covered by some ANC centers, those were not considered necessary. But, regarding the physical facilities available for rendering ANC services, it is seen that facilities are not quite satisfactory. Number of doctors and nurses are not very satisfactory. One of the centers under this study has no doctor, where ANC services are given by nurses. It can be concluded that the ANC services at the primary health care level is not adequate in Bangladesh. To ensure further improvement of the quality of ANC services, instruments used in logistics and supplies should be enhanced
ABSTRACT
To ascertain the unmet needs of family planning and identify the practice of family planning among the urban to rural migrated slum dwellers. A cross-sectional descriptive study was done randomly among selected 600 slum dwellers residing in two selected slums of Dhaka city. Data collected by face to face interview using pretested semi structured questionnaire. Among the respondents 87.7% of were females, illiterate was 60% and most [79.9%] of the houses were katcha and [37.3%] of the families had 5-7 persons in each family. Most families [70%] had monthly income of less than 5000 [app.US$70] taka per month. Majority [89.3%] of the families lived in the villages before coming to Dhaka. About 31.34% were living in present slum for 5-10 years and 80% came for search for better work. It was also found that 33.7% of the couples were not using any contraceptive method. About 29% of these couples did not mention any specific cause for not using family planning method. Only 3.5% of the respondents said of any sort of difficulty in collecting contraceptives and the main difficulty was shyness. As regards knowledge of above consequence of not using contraceptive method 97.7% opined that it would cause unplanned pregnancy, which indicated their awareness towards family planning. The study found that the respondents were aware about the needs of family planning but a great number of them were not using any contraceptive method without any specific reason. Some behavior change communication activities can be run within these areas to bring them under the family planning methods which eventually enhance the population control activity of the country