The trends of women’s autonomy in health care decision making and associated factors in Ethiopia: evidence from 2005, 2011 and 2016 DHS data

BACKGROUND: Women's autonomy in health care decision-making is very crucial for the well-being of women themselves, their children, and the entire family members. Although studying the issue is significant to take proper interventions, the issue is not studied at a nationwide level in Ethiopia. Accordingly, this population-based nationwide study was aimed at assessing the trends of women’s autonomy in health care decision-making and its associated factors in Ethiopia. METHOD: The sample was limited to married women of 2005 (n = 8617), 2011 (n = 10,168), and 2016 (n = 9824) Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) data. Women's autonomy in health care decision-making was measured based on their response to the question ‘person who usually decides on respondent's health care. To examine associated factors, socio-demographic variables were computed using multinomial logistic regression. RESULT: The finding revealed that the trend of women’s autonomy in health care decision-making had declined from 18.7% in 2005 to 17.2% in 2011 albeit it had risen to 19.1% in 2016. The autonomy of women who resides in urban areas was 98.7% higher than rural residents, and those who live in the Tigray region, Somali region, and Addis Ababa are 76.6%, 79.7%, and 95.7% higher than who live in Dire Dawa respectively. Unemployed women, women aged from 15 to 24 years, and uneducated women were 45.1%, 32.4%, and 32.2% less likely autonomous in health care decision making respectively. CONCLUSION: The autonomy of women in health care decision-making had declined from 2005 to 2011. Therefore, the role of stakeholders in taking possible interventions like empowering women shall be strengthened. This is to protect women from certain health problems as well as for the well-being of women themselves, their children, and the entire family members.