Mass Media Exposure and utilization of Antenatal care services among women in Gilgit-Baltistan

Abstract

In Pakistan, the maternal mortality rate is 186 per 100,000 live births, and 49% of women aged 15-49 years don’t receive adequate Antenatal care (≥4). Due to the lack of awareness regarding the importance of antenatal care visits, women's access to maternal healthcare services is still a challenge for women in Pakistan. This study investigated the influences of women’s exposure to media on the utilization of antenatal care (ANC) services in Gilgit-Baltistan. The study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive survey design, and multi-stage sampling techniques were employed to select the participants. A total of 1000 samples were selected from the four districts of the Baltistan division; the response rate was 92% in this way total of 928 responses were collected. The results show that women current Age (17-24 in years) were strongly associated with the utilization of ANC services (OR 5.273 CI: 2.317-11.999, p=0.001). Further women women's education and occupation were also strongly associated with the utilization of antenatal care services (OR, 4.230, CI: 95% 2.761-6.479 with P-value .000), furthermore, among women who were found exposed to media (electronic, Print and social media) were more likely to use antenatal care services. Keeping in view the current findings it strongly recommended that state agencies and non-governmental organization should focus on female literacy and media literacy in the study area. The provision of higher educational facilities and the media literacy will lead to the betterment of reproductive health in the region.