Abstract:

Background: Obstetric fistula is the presence of an abnormal opening that connects woman’s genital tract and the urinary tract or between the genital tract and the intestine characterized by leakage of urine or stool through the vagina. The common cause of obstetric fistulas in developing countries like Tanzania is prolonged neglected obstructed labor. More than 2 million women are living with the problems of obstetric fistula (WHO, 2005) mostly in Africa and Asia, with an addition of 50,000-100,000 new cases every year. In Africa alone, recent estimates from a population based survey of severe obstetric morbidity suggest that at least 33,000 new cases occur each year in sub-Saharan Africa fistula inhibits women’s ability to work and to interact with communities, driving them deeper into poverty and further undermining their economic and social position.

Methodology: A prospectus cross-sectional study design was conducted which involved 1885 participants both males and females with age from 18 to 60 years, and their consent was sought and they were given questionnaires which was in Swahili version to those who were able to put answers on their own, however, those who were not able to write items into the questionnaire, items were read to them and the response recorded accordingly. The data was analyzed using SPSS.

Results and Discussion: Majority of the participants 54.6% were females and the rest males. Most of the participants 41.6% had not acquired formal education due to various reasons, poverty being one of them. Of 185 enrolled individuals, 46.5% of them were unemployed, participants is small scale farming activities, others were engaging in small petty activities. Regarding on the knowledge, awareness and altitude towards obstetric fistula, 61.1% of them claimed to ever heard about obstetric fistulas, and most of them 32.4% those who have ever heard about obstetric fistula got this information from the radio. Very few of the participants like 4.3% of them heard obstetric fistula from the health centers which means most of health practitioners do not give much information to the patients especially pregnant mothers while they discharge them from their health facilities. Despite all those were aware on obstetric fistula, many of them did not know the etiology, risks and complications not to mention the cure! About the etiology of fistula, 44.3% of all the participants did not know the exact cause of fistula, this was attributed to poor health communication systems and inadequate information from the mass medias about obstetric fistula.

Conclusion: From this study therefore, awareness on the knowledge, attitude on obstetric fistula is still poor, because most of the participants new the word fistula without knowing the exact etiology, cause and the predisposing risk factors, this is attributed to poor health information systems to the communities, few number of trained health personnel to disseminate the information regarding the illness and lack of resources and incentives to health workers who are to work in remote areas especially in rural areas where most of the cases arise.