Abstract
BACKGROUND: Obstetric fistula remains a major public health problem which serves as a proxy indicator of the status of Nigerian women and of the availability and accessibility to quality maternal health services. This study aims to assess the knowledge, practice and perceived factors that might hinder preventive interventions to reduce obstetric fistula by service providers in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State Nigeria. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 169 service providers (doctors (49) and nurses (120)) in selected health facilities in Abakaliki was conducted using a validated self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: Majority (71%) of the participants were registered nurse/midwife while only 29% were doctors. Most (87.0% & 89.9%) of the participants had both adequate knowledge and good practice of preventive measures of obstetric fistula respectively. Major factors perceived to hider the practice of obstetric fistula preventive measures were patient-related factors (mean=2.97) and institutional factors (mean = 2.51). There was significant association between age (p = 0.008), marital status (p = 0.029), profession (p = 0.039), years of experience of work (p = 0.003) and the knowledge of obstetric fistula while none of the demographic characteristics had association (p > 0.05) with the practice of obstetric fistula preventive measures. CONCLUSION: Although most participants in this study had adequate knowledge and good practice of obstetric fistula preventive measures, there is still a great need to train and retrain doctors and nurses on current guidelines for obstetric fistula prevention and conservative management. Government should also strengthen the health facilities at all levels to provide emergency obstetric and newborn care.