Awareness and Utilization of Birth Registration Services among Caregivers of Under-Five Children at a Tertiary Hospital in Southern Nigeria
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Abstract
Background: Birth registration provides legal identity, safeguards child rights, and supports population planning, yet utilization remains suboptimal in Nigeria, including within health facility settings. This study assessed awareness and utilization of birth registration services among caregivers of children aged 0–59 months attending the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Rivers State, Nigeria.
Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2024 and July 2025. Using systematic sampling, 338 caregivers were recruited for the study. Data were collected using a pre-tested questionnaire and analysed with IBM SPSS version 23. Sociodemographic variables were summarized using frequencies and proportions, while associations were assessed using chi-square tests and binary logistic regression at p < 0.05.
Results: Among the 338 respondents, 330 (97.6%) were aware of birth registration, with health facilities as the main source of information (218, 66.1%). 271 (80.2%) had registered at least one child, while 196 (58.0%) had registered their current child. Registration occurred in health facilities (185, 94.4%), often within the first week of life (80, 40.8%). Marital status (p = 0.015) and number of children (p < 0.001) were associated with registration. After adjustment for potential confounders, caregivers with one child had lower odds of registration compared with those with three or more children (aOR = 0.17; 95% CI: 0.08–0.37; p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Awareness was high, but timely registration of the current child remained suboptimal. Strengthening integration into maternal and child health services and addressing informal practices may improve uptake in similar facility settings.
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