CULTURAL COMPETENCE OF HEALTH CARE WORKERS ON MATERNAL HEALTH CARE SERVICE UTILIZATION AMONG MOTHERS OF MOUNT ELGON CONSTITUENCY BUNGOMA, KENYA

Purpose: To determine cultural competence of health care workers on maternal health care service utilization among mothers of Mt. Elgon Constituency in Bungoma County. Methodology: A descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study design was adopted using mixed methods for data collection. Cultural competence tool was used to assess health care workers cultural competence. Qualitative data was collected using key informant interviews (KII) and focus group discussion (FGD). Data entry and analysis was done using SPSS Version 25 software. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were used. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were applied and odds ratio used to determine the strength of association. A p-value of ≤ 0.05 was considered as statistical significance threshold. Findings: Unemployment (OR: 0.6; 95% CI: 0.4 – 0.9; p = 0.02); lack of mobile clinic (OR: 0.7; 95% CI: 0.4 – 1.0; p = 0.06 ); use of interpreter (OR: 0.2; 95% CI: 0.01 – 0.81; p = 0.02); service provided in public facilities (OR: 0.5; 95% CI: 0.3 – 0.8; p = 0.004); being too busy (OR: 0.5; 95% CI: 0.3 – 0.9; p = 0.02); consulting health care workers (OR: 0.5; 95% CI: 0.2 – 0.9; p = 0.03); not consulting elders (OR: 0.7; 95% CI: 0.4 – 1.0; p = 0.08) and culturally incompetent ( 100%) were significantly associated with utilization of maternal and child health services. The determinants of maternal health care service utilization in Mt. Elgon Sub-County are women who are employed (OR: 2.8; 95% CI: 1.1 – 7.3; p=0.03) and cultural incompetence of health care workers (100%). A unique contribution to theory, practice, and policy: The study findings have identified cultural competence gaps among health care workers which need to be addressed by policy makers to increase utilization in the study area and other similar environment