Birth registration and associated factors: a case study of Kibaha district, coast region, Tanzania

Abstract

In Tanzania, birth registration is compulsory. It provides legal recognition of the identity of a child. It provides critical health planning and research data through birth certificate. A cross sectional study was done to investigate levels of birth registration and associated factors among under-five children in Kibaha District, Coast Region, Tanzania. Quantitative methods were used targeting 400 randomly selected parents/caretakers with under-five children from four villages, four streets and six hamlets. Data were collected between July and August 2008. Age of respondents ranged from 16 to 69 years. Equal numbers of respondents were selected from urban and rural areas. Age of children ranged from 0 to 59 months with mean age (SO) at 27.8 (19.6) months. Among 400 children, two thirds (66%) of them were males. This study has observed that despite its importance, the level of birth registration is low. About a quarter (24.5%) of children were registered in Kibaha district. Parents/caretakers living in urban areas were almost twice (OR=1.9; 95% CI, 1.1-3.2) with (p <0.05) as likely to register their children compared to those living in rural areas. Some of the problems associated with birth registration include costs incurred while registering the child; and poor accessibility of registration centers especially in rural areas where distances between places of residence and registration center was quite considerably. The study suggests that there is need to examine the socio-economic barriers that hinder parents/caretakers to register their children. A qualitative study design may be more appropriate. This study recommends collaboration between antenatal and birth registration services so as to make registration easier than it is now. Birth registration will improve availability of IMR and under-five mortality rate data for a better estimate of different health indicators of children below five years.