Maternal, socioeconomic and healthcare factors associated with postpartum maternal mortality in Papua Province, Indonesia, based on secondary data analysis of IDHS 2020

HIGHLIGHTS Postpartum maternal mortality is associated with factors such as number of previous parity, living place, Indonesian language ability, status/wealth index, delivery attendant, and place of delivery. Indonesian language ability is the most influential factor, likely reflecting disparities in access to healthcare, health literacy, and geographic or social marginalization. ABSTRACT Objective: We conducted research based on the Indonesia Demographic Health Survey (IDHS) 2020 to investigate the association between postpartum maternal mortality and several parameters, including Maternal, socioeconomic and healthcare factor in Papua Province. Materials and Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional design and quantitative analytical approach, using secondary data from IDHS 2020. A total of 14,802 female respondents between the ages of 15 and 49 were sampled. The data was analyzed using a simple logistic regression test for bivariate analysis with a 95% confidence level (a = 0.05). Subsequently, a multivariate multiple logistic regression analysis was performed on variables having a p-value less than 0.25. Results: The results indicated that all factors (parity p<0.001 AOR=0.533 95% CI 0.375-0.758; living place p=0.001 AOR=2.526 95% CI 1.438-4.436; Indonesian language ability p<0.001 AOR=0.039 95% CI 0.031-0.050; delivery attendant and place of delivery p<0.001 AOR=0.118 95% CI 0.142-0.249, not associated with status/wealth index p=0.972 AOR=1.010 95% CI 0.565- 1.806). They had a significant negative association with postpartum maternal mortality (p-value <0.05) except for the status/wealth index. The highest association, with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.039, was observed in Indonesian language ability, which showed a 25.64-fold increase. Conclusion: The research findings provide a strong foundation for future policies and interventions to reduce postpartum maternal mortality in Papua Province. Indonesian language ability was identified as the most dominant factor associated with maternal mortality, offering hope for targeted interventions and improved healthcare.