Objective: This paper analyses the optimal utilization of maternal health services in Indonesia from 2015 to 2018.
Design: National cross-sectional study.
Setting: This study takes place in 34 provinces in Indonesia.
Participants: The population in this study were mothers in all household members in Basic Health Research of Riskesdas 2018. The sample was all mothers who had a live birth within 5 years before data collection (1 January 2013 to July 2018) and had complete data. The number of samples analysed was 70 878.
Primary outcome: We developed a scoring for the optimal utilization of maternal health services as the outcome variable.
Results: This analysis involved 70 787 mothers. The utilization of maternal care was not optimal. Mothers who delivered in health facilities achieved 83.3% of services. Better care is experienced more by mothers who live in urban areas. Mothers who delivered at health facilities significantly used threefold optimal care (ORa=3.15; 95% CI 3.00 to 3.30; p<0001). A statistically significant difference of optimal maternal care was found in mothers with better education (ORa=1.22; 95% CI 1.18 to 1.27; p=0.001); holding health insurance (ORa=1.25; 95% CI 1.21 to 1.30; p<0001), having more access to health facilities (ORa=1.13; 95% CI 1.09 to 1.17); p<0.001), less parity (ORa=1.16; 95% CI 1.11 to 1.20; p<0.001).
Conclusion: The optimal utilization of MHS is independent of the free services delivery, but having health insurance and less parity brought about a better optimal score for MHS. Mothers in rural areas were more protective of optimal utilization. Finally, the eastern region used more optimal health services.
Keywords: health policy; public health; quality in health care.
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