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. 2024 Sep 2;23(1):176.
doi: 10.1186/s12939-024-02241-0.

Exploring the association between multidimensional poverty and antenatal care utilization in two provinces of Papua New Guinea: a cross-sectional study

Olga P M Saweri  1   2 , William S Pomat  3   4 , Andrew J Vallely  3   4 , Virginia Wiseman #  3   5 , Neha Batura #  6 ; WANTAIM Study Group
Affiliations

Exploring the association between multidimensional poverty and antenatal care utilization in two provinces of Papua New Guinea: a cross-sectional study

Olga P M Saweri et al. Int J Equity Health. .

Abstract

Background: Although global poverty rates have declined in the last decade, the fall in the Asia-Pacific region has been slow relative to the rest of the world. Poverty continues to be a major cause of poor maternal and newborn health, and a barrier to accessing timely antenatal care. Papua New Guinea has one of the highest poverty rates and some of the worst maternal and neonatal outcomes in the Asia-Pacific region. Few studies have investigated equity in antenatal care utilization in this setting. We explored equity in antenatal care utilization and the determinants of service utilization, which include a measure of multidimensional poverty in Papua New Guinea.

Methods: To explore the association between poverty and antenatal care utilization this study uses data from a ten-cluster randomized controlled trial. The poverty headcount, average poverty gap, adjusted poverty headcount, and multidimensional poverty index of antenatal clinic attendees are derived using the Alkire-Foster method. The distribution of service utilization is explored using the multidimensional poverty index, followed by multivariate regression analyses to evaluate the determinants of service utilization.

Results: The poverty headcount was 61.06%, the average poverty gap 47.71%, the adjusted poverty headcount 29.13% and the average multidimensional poverty index was 0.363. Further, antenatal care utilization was regressive with respect to poverty. The regression analyses indicated that older women; being a widow (small number of widows (n = 3) asserts interpreting result with caution); or formally employed increase the likelihood of accessing antenatal care more often in pregnancy. Travelling for over an hour to receive care was negatively associated with utilization.

Conclusion: This study indicated high levels of multidimensional poverty in PNG and that ANC utilization was regressive; highlighting the need to encourage pregnant women, especially those who are economically more vulnerable to visit clinics regularly throughout pregnancy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Indicators estimating multidimensional poverty under the Alkire-Foster method
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Distribution of antenatal care attendees by the MPI
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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