Obstructed Social Services Leading to Obstetric Fistula in Ethiopia: Evidence from DHS Data

Yibeltal T. Bayou, International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH), Ethiopia

The main objective of this research is to assess the socio-cultural and demographic determinants of obstetric fistula in Ethiopia. The study used a nationally representative 2005 Ethiopia DHS data. Logistic regression model was employed to see the net effects of the predictor variables over the dependent one. In this study, 3.4 (4.5% for rural women) percent of the respondents experienced obstetric fistula, and surprisingly 70% of them were not treated for obstetric fistula. Women with secondary and higher education were less likely to be affected by obstetric fistula (OR=0.28) compared to those with no education. Women with five or more total children ever born were 3.8 times more likely to be affected by OF compared to those with zero total children ever born. Addressing this heart-breaking problem should be one of the national priority primary health care targets through improving access to quality health services.