Assessing the impact of geographical access to health facilities on maternal healthcare utilization: evidence from the Burkina Faso demographic and health survey 2010

BACKGROUND: Improving maternal and child health (MCH) remains a serious challenge for many developing countries. Geographical accessibility from a residence to the nearest health facility is suspected to be an important obstacle hampering the use of appropriate services for MCH especially in Sub-Sharan African countries. In Burkina Faso, a landlocked country in the Sahel region of West Africa, women’s use of proper healthcare services during pregnancy and childbirth is still low. This study therefore assessed the impact of geographical access to health facilities on maternal healthcare utilization in Burkina Faso. METHODS: We used the Burkina Faso demographic and health survey (DHS) 2010 dataset, with its sample of 10,364 mothers aged 15–49 years. Distance from residential areas to the closest health facility was measured by merging the DHS dataset with Geographic Information System data on the location of health centers in Burkina Faso. Multivariate logistic regressions were conducted to estimate the effects of distance on maternal healthcare utilization. RESULTS: Regression results revealed that the longer the distance to the closest health center, the less likely it is that a woman will receive appropriate maternal healthcare services. The estimates show that one kilometer increase in distance to the closest health center reduces the odds that a woman will receive four or more antenatal care by 0.05 and reduces by 0.267 the odds that she will deliver her baby with the assistance of a skilled birth attendant. CONCLUSIONS: Improving geographical access to health facilities increases the use of appropriate healthcare services during pregnancy and childbirth. Investment in transport infrastructure should be a prioritized target for further improvement in MCH in Burkina Faso.