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Household, Faith, and Community Support as Enablers of Antenatal Care Completion in a Fragile Urban Setting of Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

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DOI: 10.21522/TIJAR.2014.13.03.Art023

Authors : David Munganga Kaseke, Jerome Kambale Mastaki, Didier Mukeba Tshialala

Abstract:

Antenatal care (ANC) completion is influenced by health-service factors as well as household and community support systems. This study examined whether partner encouragement, faith-leader messages, religious activities and participation in women’s or community groups were associated with ANC completion among host community women in Karisimbi. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from 715 eligible women who had given birth in the past 12 months and were selected through multistage household sampling. The main outcome were completion of at least four ANC contacts (ANC4+) and a minimum of eight ANC contacts (ANC8+). Key explanatory variables included partner encouragement, exposure to faith-leader messages promoting ANC, frequency of religious activities and participation in women’s or community groups. Multivariable logistic regression models were used, adjusting for maternal age, education, household assets, and access-related barriers. ANC4+ completion was 65.8%, while ANC8+ completion was 6.0%. In adjusted models, partner encouragement was associated with higher odds of ANC4+ completion (AOR 3.66; 95% CI 2.32-5.77), as was exposure to faith-leader ANC messages (AOR 2.03; 95% CI 1.13-3.63). Women/community group participation was positively but not significantly associated with ANC8+ completion (AOR 2.27; 95% CI 0.71-7.28). Partner encouragement and faith-leader communication may serve as practical entry points for improving ANC continuity in Karisimbi. Maternal health interventions in fragile urban settings should strengthen household and faith-community engagement to support sustained ANC attendance.

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