Health facility-related factors associated with the use of native medicine during pregnancy among pregnant mothers at Lubaga Hospital. A cross-sectional study.
Keywords:
Traditional Medicine, Antenatal clinic, Lubaga Hospital, OmuginoAbstract
Background: The use of native medicine among pregnant women, despite having accessible and affordable antenatal care, is alarming, yet this could compromise both maternal and fetal health outcomes. This study assessed health facility-related factors associated with the use of native medicine during pregnancy among pregnant mothers attending the antenatal clinic at Lubaga Hospital, Kampala District.
Methods: A cross-sectional study design employing a quantitative method was used to collect data among pregnant mothers attending the antenatal clinic at Lubaga Hospital. In 6 days, 45 respondents were sampled using a simple random sampling technique. Data collected using structured questionnaires was analyzed by microsoft excel (2016) program, and findings were presented in the form of tables, graphs, and pie-charts.
Results: Out of 45 respondents; 57.8% were aged 18–28 years, 42.2% were Catholics, 33.3% were Protestants, while 11.1% were Muslims. Over half, 51.1% of mothers were formally employed, 44.5% had attained secondary education, 22.2% had higher education, while 11.1% had no formal education. The majority (73.3%) of the respondents reported less than 30 minutes waiting time at the health facility, (84.4%) reported that health workers were always present, (64.4%) rated the facility as fairly clean, (57.8%) found the opening hours convenient, while (88.9%) reported that drugs were available. However, (62.2%) took 30 minutes to 1 hour to reach the nearest facility.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that while the health facility provides high-quality and reliable services, characterized by short waiting times, consistent staff presence, high drug availability, physical accessibility remains a significant challenge, as the majority of mothers still face a substantial travel time to reach the health facility.
Recommendation: Mothers should attend scheduled ANC visits consistently to monitor pregnancy progress and receive timely medical interventions. Nurses should explain how hospital medicine complements safe herbal practices, reducing potential risks to both mother and baby.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Vivian Namuli, Donatus Kimera, Jane Frances Namuddu (Author)
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