Description:
Background: Ethical practice is one of the main factors in providing quality care to women and mothers. It is also necessary for the health care personnel at any position of service to base their performance on common values which are indicators of their loyalty to the society and their profession as well.
Objective: This study was aimed to assess practices of the professional ethics and associated factors among maternal health care providers in public hospitals in Sidama regional state, southern Ethiopia, 2023.
Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was employed from April to May 2023 in hospitals of Sidama Region. The total sample size of 558 were collected from midwives, nurses and medical doctors who involved in maternal health care provision. The study was conducted by using semi- structured questionnaires. The data were entered in to Epidata and was analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive analysis such as proportions, frequency and distribution was employed, Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was computed to test strength of association. Independent variables with p-value of < 0.25 was included in multi-variable analysis. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% CI, was estimated to assess the strength of associations and statistical significance was declared at a p-value < 0.05
Result: This study revealed that 174(33.3%) (95% CI =28.7-37.1) of maternal health care providers had good practice of the professional ethics. Age (AOR=0.42; 95% CI=0.21-0.84), type of profession (AOR=3.09; 95% CI = 1.53-6.24), substances users (AOR=0.44; 95% CI 0.28-0.68), graduated from private institution (AOR=0.40; 95% CI= 0.22-0.74) and positive attitude (AOR 2.82; 95% CI = 1.82-4.35) were factors significantly associated with the practice of health care ethics.
Conclusion: This study revealed that the proportion of good practices of professional ethics among maternal health care providers was low. Age of respondent, type of profession, institution graduated from, attitude and used substance had statistical significant associated with practice of the professional ethics. Therefore, regional health Bureau should provide training on attitude of health professional ethics and Hospital admin should give emphasis on empowering nurse professionals regarding ethical practical.