A Correlational Analysis of the Role of Income on Maternal Lifestyle among Pregnant Women: An Explanatory Study of Kwabre East District (Asonomaso Government Hospital)

Abstract

Maternal health is one of the top most priorities for the United Nations, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children Fund and most Governments and institutions around the world. As a result many attempts have been made in order to improve maternal health but it seems many countries in the world especially, Sub- Saharan African countries including Ghana might not be able to attain the millennium development goal target of improving maternal health, thereby reducing   maternal mortality ratio by ¾ in 2015 (Report from  Ghana Millennium Development Goals, 2008). The study used a quantitative data analysis; with the help of inferential statistics tool such scatter plot and spearman rank correlation coefficient the field data was analyzed. The study used a sample size of 200 pregnant women. The study employed both purposive and random sampling technique in taking the data. Purposively the area under study was selected in order to get the required respondents at Kwabre East District: Asonomaso Government Hospital. But in selecting the pregnant women in the study area a simple random sampling techniques was used. The study found out that, there was a positive correlational relationship between income and drinking lifestyle, smoking lifestyle, used of mosquito net, regular exercise and visitation of antenatal care among pregnant women. The study recommends that the Government of Ghana and all other stakeholders which include NGOs, Ghana Health service should provide mosquito treated net to the pregnant women and those in the low income group since they are less likely to buy or use a mosquito treated net. The study recommends that stakeholders of maternal health should prescribe the use of the physiotherapy department for the pregnant women and also subsidize its accessibility for the pregnant women to make it affordable for the low income earners. This will enables them to do regular physical exercises in order to invest into their health stock.

Keywords: Maternal mortality, maternal morbidity, maternal lifestyle, income, pregnant women, health stock and maternal health