Factors associated with low levels of birth & death registration in Kieni East district of the Central Province of Kenya

Abstract

Objective: To determine the factors associated with low levels of registration of births and deaths in Kieni East district.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that adopted a convergent parallel mixed method design. The qualitative study was conducted through in-depth interviews held with District Civil Registrar and Assistant Chiefs. The quantitative study was conducted through a semi-structured questionnaire administered to 373 randomly selected heads of households.

Results: Registration of births was found to be significantly associated to the mother’s level of educational attainment, age of the child, attendance to early childhood education, and the income level of the household head, while the Age of the deceased predicted death registration. The level of awareness on the need to register events was high; however, knowledge of the required duration for registration, the process of registration and the importance of registration was found lacking. Costs associated with registration and lack of property to inherit were the most cited reasons for failure to register birth and death occurrences respectively. Certain segments of the residents of the district were internally displaced persons of the 2007 post election violence who were facing challenges in the acquisition of the registration documents and replacement of lost registration documents.

Conclusion: The study identified potential areas of intervention in improving birth and death registration in the district.

Afr J Health Sci. 2013; 26:272-290