Abstract:
Introduction: In Ethiopia, a country which is one of the six countries contributing 50% of at least 1,600 maternal deaths daily worldwide from the complications of pregnancy and childbirth. Besides, one in 14Ethiopianwomen faces the risk of death during pregnancy and child birth. Even though there have been improvements in maternal health services utilization, yet,96% of births take place at home in rural Ethiopia. While various factors have made rural access and utilization of institutional delivery service utilization a significant problem for rural women, the geographic distance between a mother’s location and the place in which she receive the service is one of the most important factors. Rural populations are particularly disadvantaged as they often lack reliable means of transportation. The purpose of this study is to assess geographic accessibility and delivery service utilization among rural reproductive age women using some applications, Geographic Information System (GIS). Objective: The aim of this study is to assess geographic accessibility and utilization of institutional delivery as well asassociated factors among rural reproductive age women in Jimma Horro woreda, Oromia region, South West Ethiopia. Methods and materials: A community-based cross-sectional study will be conducted from November to June 2012 Jimma Horroworeda, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia. From 21 rural kebeles five clusters (kebeles) will be selected randomly. Data will be collected using structured questionnaire. Data on geo-reference coordinates of respondents as well as health facilities locations and routes from village center point to nearest health centers will be recorded using hand-held Global Positioning System(GPS) units. Integrating with woreda base map obtained from Central Statistical Agency(CSA),network distance measurement will be processed Network Analyst in ARCGIS9.3.Data will be entered into Epi Info and transported to SPSS 16.0 for analysis.