Partograph Utilization and Associated Factors among Obstetric Care Providers at Public Health Facilities in Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: A partograph is a graphic representation of labor which is used by health professionals for monitoring labor progress and fetal and maternal wellbeing. However, its utilization and associated factors have not been studied yet in Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Hence, the aim of this study was to determine partograph utilization and associated factors among obstetric care providers at public health facilities in Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia. METHODS: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 436 health professionals. The study was conducted from March 04 to April 07, 2019. A simple random sampling method was carried out to select 19 health facilities and study participants from selected facilities. Data was collected using a pretested structured questionnaire, entered into EPI-data version 3.1 and exported to Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Descriptive statistics and binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were done. P values less than 0.05 were used to declare significant association between dependent and independent variables. RESULTS: The overall magnitude of partograph utilization was found to be 54.4%, and finding from data abstraction from a document revealed that out of 18 parameters, only 10 parameters were recorded completely. Type of health facility (hospital as compared to HC) (AOR = 2.96; CI = 1.71, 5.12), received on-the-job training on partograph (AOR = 7.06; CI = 4.3, 11.37), knowledgeable about partograph (AOR = 2.12; CI = 1.3, 3.9), and favorable attitude toward partograph use (AOR = 1.8; CI = 1.12 − 2.97) were significantly associated with partograph use. CONCLUSION: Overall partograph utilization was low, and incomplete recording of required parameters on partograph was observed in this study. Participants who received on-the-job training on partograph, who are working in a hospital, who are knowledgeable about partograph, and who have favorable attitude toward partograph use were factors affecting partograph use positively.