Table 1

Distribution of characteristics, unadjusted and adjusted OR for factors associated with non-use of postnatal care services in Nigeria, 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS)

N%* (95% CI)UnadjustedAdjusted
VariableOR (95% CI)OR (95% CI)
Environmental factor
Residence type
 Urban727836.8 (33.4 to 40.3)RefRef
 Rural13 18969.4 (67.1 to 71.5)3.89 (3.20 to 4.73)1.69 (1.40 to 2.06)
Geopolitical zone
 North Central289050.2 (45.4 to 55.1)Ref
 North East343467.7 (63.7 to 71.5)2.08 (1.59 to 2.71)
 North West744580.6 (77.1 to 83.6)4.11 (3.09 to 5.47)
 South East171938.7 (34.9 to 42.7)0.63 (0.48 to 0.81)
 South West200235.3 (31.4 to 39.4)0.54 (0.42 to 0.70)
 South South297722.6 (18.6 to 27.2)0.29 (0.21 to 0.40)
Sociodemographic factor
Household wealth index
 Rich360420.4 (17.8 to 23.2)RefRef
 Middle757647.1 (44.6 to 49.6)3.48 (2.90 to 4.17)1.15 (0.98 to 1.34)
 Poor928781.0 (79.2 to 82.7)16.7 (13.6 to 20.5)1.66 (1.35 to 2.05)
Mother's education
 Secondary or higher675829.0 (27.0 to 31.1)RefRef
 Primary391551.2 (48.7 to 53.7)2.57 (2.29 to 2.89)0.98 (0.85 to 1.12)
 No education979480.3 (78.4 to 82.0)9.97 (8.55 to 11.6)1.37 (1.17 to 1.61)
Mother's working status
 Working13 19053.1 (50.9 to 55.2)RefRef
 Not working725866.4 (63.6 to 69.0)1.75 (1.54 to 1.97)0.84 (0.76 to 0.92)
Mother's age (years)
 <20281366.5 (63.7 to 69.2)Ref
 20–2910 07956.8 (54.5 to 59.0)0.66 (0.59 to 0.74)
 30–39632954.6 (52.3 to 56.8)0.61 (0.53 to 0.69)
 40–49124662.2 (58.7 to 65.6)0.83 (0.70 to 0.99)
Marital status
 Currently married19 39758.5 (56.5 to 60.4)Ref
 Formerly/never married107045.3 (41.1 to 49.6)0.59 (0.49 to 0.70)
Father's education
 Secondary or higher837236.5 (34.3 to 38.8)Ref
 Primary366156.4 (53.6 to 59.1)2.25 (1.99 to 2.54)
 No education778582.2 (80.3 to 84.0)8.04 (6.87 to 9.42)
Birth rank and birth interval (years)
 2nd or 3rd child, interval >2705353.8 (51.3 to 56.2)Ref
 First child367048.0 (45.3 to 50.7)0.79 (0.72 to 0.87)
 2nd or 3nd child, interval ≤2209454.9 (51.5 to 58.2)1.05 (0.93 to 1.18)
 4th or more child, interval >2602066.2 (64.2 to 68.2)1.69 (1.54 to 1.85)
 4th or more child, interval ≤2163069.5 (66.5 to 72.3)1.95 (1.70 to 2.25)
Child sex
 Male10 28257.3 (55.2 to 59.4)Ref
 Female10 18558.2 (56.1 to 60.3)1.04 (0.97 to 1.11)
Health knowledge
Frequency of reading newspaper or magazine
 At least once a week122822.0 (19.0 to 25.2)RefRef
 Less than once a week171624.2 (21.2 to 27.5)1.14 (0.92 to 1.41)1.08 (0.81 to 1.45)
 Never17 39363.5 (61.6 to 65.4)6.19 (5.11 to 7.51)1.40 (1.09 to 1.79)
Frequency of listening to radio
 At least once a week731743.7 (41.3 to 46.1)Ref
 Less than once a week513154.9 (51.8 to 58.0)1.57 (1.37 to 1.79)
 Never795172.6 (70.6 to 74.5)3.41 (3.02 to 3.85)
Frequency of watching television
 At least once a week602731.0 (28.7 to 33.4)RefRef
 Less than once a week351745.6 (42.2 to 48.9)1.87 (1.61 to 2.17)1.23 (1.07 to 1.41)
 Never10 83376.7 (74.8 to 78.5)7.35 (6.30 to 8.57)1.63 (1.41 to 1.88)
Knowledge of delivery complications
 Yes903233.8 (31.8 to 35.9)RefRef
 None11 28376.9 (75.0 to 78.6)6.50 (5.71 to 7.40)2.05 (1.83 to 2.29)
Enabling factor
Seeking permission to visit health services
 Not a big problem17 86555.1 (53.1 to 57.1)RefRef
 Big problem250276.7 (72.5 to 80.4)2.68 (2.13 to 3.36)1.27 (1.09 to 1.47)
Getting money to pay health services
 Not a big problem11 41052.5 (50.1 to 54.8)RefRef
 Big problem895664.5 (62.1 to 66.8)1.65 (1.47 to 1.85)1.26 (1.14 to 1.39)
Distance to health facility
 Not a big problem13 90751.0 (48.9 to 53.0)RefRef
 Big problem647272.3 (69.7 to 74.9)2.52 (2.18 to 2.91)1.25 (1.12 to 1.40)
Wanting to be accompanied to health facility
 Not a big problem17 43754.6 (52.7 to 55.6)Ref
 Big problem293476.4 (73.4 to 79.1)2.69 (2.30 to 3.15)
Behaviour of health workers
 Not a big problem16 92855.4 (53.3 to 57.4)RefRef
 Big problem343469.4 (66.4 to 72.1)1.82 (1.60 to 2.09)1.18 (1.03 to 1.36)
Need factor
Contraceptive use
 Yes326026.8 (24.3 to 29.4)RefRef
 No17 20763.6 (61.8 to 65.5)4.78 (4.16 to 5.49)1.12 (0.98 to 1.28)
Wanted pregnancy at the time
 Wanted then18 36859.5 (57.4 to 61.4)Ref
 Wanted later155441.5 (38.2 to 44.8)0.48 (0.42 to 0.56)
 Unwanted44440.0 (34.7 to 45.5)0.45 (0.36 to 0.57)
Mother's perceived baby size at birth
 Large899654.6 (52.3 to 56.8)RefRef
 Average830756.7 (54.2 to 59.2)1.09 (0.98 to 1.21)1.03 (0.97 to 1.15)
 Small302669.4 (66.4 to 72.2)1.88 (1.64 to 2.16)1.41 (1.22 to 1.64)
Previous use of health services
Delivery assistance
 Health professional858220.5 (18.9 to 22.2)RefRef
 Non-health professional11 79384.8 (83.2 to 86.2)21.1 (17.8 to 25.0)3.50 (2.88 to 4.27)
Mode of delivery
 Non-caesarean19 98159.0 (57.0 to 60.9)RefRef
 Caesarean section4868.6 (6.2 to 11.7)1.44 (1.33 to 1.56)2.29 (1.61 to 3.27)
Place of delivery
 Health facility764917.3 (15.7 to 19.0)RefRef
 Home12 78081.9 (80.3 to 83.3)21.6 (18.6 to 25.1)4.51 (3.75 to 5.43)
  • *Weighted prevalence of non-use of postnatal care as reported by mothers interviewed during the NDHS, 2013.