Spatial and Subnational Variations in Maternal Healthcare Services Utilization amid Differential Gender Relations in Nigeria

Yemi Adewoyin, University of Nigeria Nsukka(UNN)
Nkem Adeyemi-Adewoyin, University of Ibadan, Ibadan

This study investigates the level of utilization of MHS at national and subnational scales in Nigeria and examines the influence of differential gender relations (GR) on the utilization pattern. Data on antenatal care (ANC) visits, health facility delivery, household decision-making, and associated sociodemographic variables extracted from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey for 29,992 parous women aged 15-49 were analyzed. The prevalence of the recommended minimum ANC visits (RMANC) and health facility delivery were 42.1% and 30.0% at the national level and were lowest in the northern regions at the subnational level. Women with feminine gender relations (FGR) constituted 5.7% of the population at the national level while subnational variations ranged from 1.8% in the North-East to 12.8% in the South-South regions. At both the crude and adjusted levels, FGR was not significantly associated with RMANC and health facility delivery at the national level and in all the regions except the South-West. Male gender relations (MGR) significantly increased the odds of RMANC (OR: 2.235, CI: 2.043-2.444) and health facility delivery (OR: 2.571, CI: 2.369-2.791) at national level. Significant subnational variations in the association between gender relations and the utilization of maternal healthcare services were also recorded.

Keywords: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Population and Development, Health and Morbidity, Gender Dynamics

See extended abstract.