Citation

Bakker R, Sheferaw ED, Yigzaw T, Stekelenburg J, de Kroon MLA. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020; 17(8): e2682.

Affiliation

Department of Health Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

DOI

10.3390/ijerph17082682

PMID

32295137

Abstract

The maternal mortality ratio and neonatal mortality rate remain high in Ethiopia, where few births are attended by qualified healthcare staff. This is partly due to care providers' mistreatment of women during childbirth, which creates a culture of anxiety that decreases the use of healthcare services. This study employed a cross-sectional design to identify risk factors for positive appraisal of mistreatment during childbirth. We asked 391 Ethiopian final year midwifery students to complete a paper-and-pen questionnaire assessing background characteristics, prior observation of mistreatment during education, self-esteem, stress, and mistreatment appraisal. A multivariable linear regression analysis indicated age (p = 0.005), stress (p = 0.019), and previous observation of mistreatment during education (p < 0.001) to be significantly associated with mistreatment appraisal. Younger students, stressed students, and students that had observed more mistreatment during their education reported more positive mistreatment appraisal. No significant association was observed for origin (p = 0.373) and self-esteem (p = 0.445).

FINDINGS can be utilized to develop educational interventions that counteract mistreatment during childbirth in the Ethiopian context.

Language: en

Keywords

Ethiopia; disrespect and abuse; midwifery students; respectful maternity care