Improving Skilled Birth Attendance in Ghana: An Evidence-Based Policy Brief

• Published in: Journal of health care for the poor and underserved Vol. 28; no. 3; pp. 1056 - 1065
• Main Authors: Apanga, Paschal Awingura, Awoonor-Williams, John Koku
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Johns Hopkins University Press 2017
• Subjects: Access; Attendance; Birth; Births; Child mortality; Childbirth & labor; Cultural Competency; Delivery of Health Care - organization & administration; Delivery, Obstetric - methods; Delivery, Obstetric - standards; Developing countries; Economic factors; Female; Ghana; Health care; Health facilities; Health Services Accessibility - organization & administration; Health Services Accessibility - standards; Health status; Humans; Infant; Infant Mortality; LDCs; Maternal & child health; Maternal characteristics; Maternal Health Services - organization & administration; Maternal Mortality; Midwifery; Midwifery - organization & administration; Midwifery - standards; Morbidity; Mortality; Mothers; Neonates; Obstetrics; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - ethnology; Policy; Pregnancy; Public health; Rural areas; Sociocultural factors; Socioeconomic Factors; Urban areas; Womens health; Ghana; India
• ISSN: 1049-2089; 1548-6869; 1548-6869
• DOI: 10.1353/hpu.2017.0097

This commentary has the objective of improving skilled birth attendance in Ghana to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity. We have provided evidence of causes of low-skilled birth attendance in Ghana. Physical accessibility of health care, sociocultural factors, economic factors and health care system delivery problems were found as the main underlying causes of low levels of skilled birth attendance in Ghana. The paper provides potential strategies in addressing maternal and child health issues in Ghana.