ASSESSMENT OF PERCEIVED CULTURAL DETERMINANTS OF MATERNAL MORTALITY AMONG NOMADIC WOMEN IN KADUNA STATE

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess perceived cultural determinants of maternal mortality among nomadic women in Kaduna
State, Nigeria. To achieve this purpose, descriptive survey research design was used. A total sample of 400 nomadic women
in Kaduna state, Nigeria from a population of 96,774 were selected through multi-stage sampling procedures comprising of
stratified random sampling, purposive sampling, simple random sampling, systematic random sampling and proportionate
sampling techniques. The instrument used for the study was researcher developed close ended questionnaire. Out of the 400
copies of questionnaire distributed, (381, 95.2%) were retrieved and considered valid for analyses while (19, 4.8%) of the
response were considered invalid. Mean and standard deviation was used to answer the research questions and inferential
statistics of one sample t-test was used to analyse the formulated hypotheses at 0.05 alpha level. The results revealed that
religious practice (p=0.000) and tradition belief (p = 0.000) are determinants of maternal mortality among Nomadic women
in Kaduna State. Based on the results, it was concluded that religious practices and traditional beliefs of nomadic women are
determinant of maternal mortality in Kaduna state. Based on the conclusions, it was recommended among others that health
educators in collaboration with non-governmental organizations and religious leaders should carry out campaigns against ill
religious practices that predisposes women to maternal mortality so as to help women make informed decisions and healthful
practices in the state.