Prevalence of respectful maternity care and associated factors among Somali refugee women following facility-based childbirth in Melkadida refugee camps, Ethiopia: a mixed-methods study
- 1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- 2Department of Health Systems Management and Health Policy, School of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Abstract
Background: Respectful maternity care (RMC) is a fundamental human right that ensures women’s dignity, privacy, and autonomy during childbirth. In humanitarian settings, however, RMC is often neglected. Despite Ethiopia hosting one of Africa's largest refugee populations, research on RMC in refugee camps, particularly in the Melkadida camps, remains limited.
Aim: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of respectful maternity care and examine factors associated with receiving respectful maternity care among Somali refugee women following facility-based childbirth in Melkadida refugee camps, Ethiopia.
Methods: A convergent mixed-methods study was conducted from March 1 to March 30, 2025. Quantitative data were collected from 417 women using a structured questionnaire, while qualitative data were gathered through in-depth interviews with 16 participants. Data were analyzed using SPSS for quantitative analysis and open code software for thematic analysis of qualitative data.
Results: The study had a 98.6% response rate, with 18.7% of participants reporting respectful maternity care (95% CI: 15%–24.4%). Factors positively associated with RMC included being aged 25–29 years (AOR = 3.46), attending four or more antenatal care visits (AOR = 3.77), daytime delivery (AOR = 2.20), staying less than 12 h post-delivery (AOR = 3.82), and having male providers (AOR = 3.20). Conversely, poor facility maintenance (AOR = 0.09) and moderate maintenance (AOR = 0.40) were negatively associated with RMC. Key barriers to RMC included poor infrastructure, staff shortages, insufficient training, and a lack of accountability.
Conclusion: Respectful maternity care is critically low in Melkadida refugee camps. To improve RMC, it is essential to prioritize infrastructure upgrades, ensure resource availability, enhance staff training, and implement monitoring and accountability measures.
Related
- Prevalence of person-centered maternity care during childbirth and its predictors among women who gave birth in health facilities of East Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis
- Evaluation of a Respectful Maternity Care Train-the-Trainer Workshop
- Respectful care during childbirth and educational inequities: a cross-sectional survey using a multidomain index across four hospitals in Malawi
- Respectful maternity care among midwifery graduates trained under competency-based versus conventional curricula in Ethiopia: a comparative cross-sectional study.
- Advancing Respectful Maternity Care: co-developing the RESPECT National Strategy in Cyprus
BibTeX
@article{bare2026prevalence,
title = {{Prevalence of respectful maternity care and associated factors among Somali refugee women following facility-based childbirth in Melkadida refugee camps, Ethiopia: a mixed-methods study}},
author = {Kader Bare and Adiam Nega and Zeytu Gashaw Asfaw},
journal = {Reproductive Health},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1186/s12978-026-02435-5},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-026-02435-5},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Prevalence of respectful maternity care and associated factors among Somali refugee women following facility-based childbirth in Melkadida refugee camps, Ethiopia: a mixed-methods study
AU - Kader Bare
AU - Adiam Nega
AU - Zeytu Gashaw Asfaw
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/12
JO - Reproductive Health
DO - 10.1186/s12978-026-02435-5
UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-026-02435-5
AB - Background: Respectful maternity care (RMC) is a fundamental human right that ensures women’s dignity, privacy, and autonomy during childbirth. In humanitarian settings, however, RMC is often neglected. Despite Ethiopia hosting one of Africa's largest refugee populations, research on RMC in refugee camps, particularly in the Melkadida camps, remains limited. Aim: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of respectful maternity care and examine factors associated with receiving respectful maternity care among Somali refugee women following facility-based childbirth in Melkadida refugee camps, Ethiopia. Methods: A convergent mixed-methods study was conducted from March 1 to March 30, 2025. Quantitative data were collected from 417 women using a structured questionnaire, while qualitative data were gathered through in-depth interviews with 16 participants. Data were analyzed using SPSS for quantitative analysis and open code software for thematic analysis of qualitative data. Results: The study had a 98.6% response rate, with 18.7% of participants reporting respectful maternity care (95% CI: 15%–24.4%). Factors positively associated with RMC included being aged 25–29 years (AOR = 3.46), attending four or more antenatal care visits (AOR = 3.77), daytime delivery (AOR = 2.20), staying less than 12 h post-delivery (AOR = 3.82), and having male providers (AOR = 3.20). Conversely, poor facility maintenance (AOR = 0.09) and moderate maintenance (AOR = 0.40) were negatively associated with RMC. Key barriers to RMC included poor infrastructure, staff shortages, insufficient training, and a lack of accountability. Conclusion: Respectful maternity care is critically low in Melkadida refugee camps. To improve RMC, it is essential to prioritize infrastructure upgrades, ensure resource availability, enhance staff training, and implement monitoring and accountability measures.
SN - 1742-4755
ER -