Abstract
BackgroundDespite recent improvements in child survival, neonatal mortality remains high in most developing countries. Countries affected by humanitarian emergencies continue to report the highest neonatal mortality rates.ObjectiveTo assess essential newborn care practices and its determinants amongst mothers of infants aged 0–6 months in refugee settlements in Adjumani district.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among mothers of infants aged 0–6 months in refugee settlements, Adjumani district. A total of 561 mothers of infants were selected using systematic sampling technique from households. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. A composite outcome variable, Essential Newborn Care practices was created by merging different care practices (neonatal feeding, thermal care, and cord care). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine predictors of Essential Newborn Care.Results and conclusionsOver half (57%) of the mothers breastfed their newborns within one hour. Half (50.1%) of mothers cleaned the umbilical cord of their newborns. Only 17% of the newborns received optimal thermal care immediately after birth. Mothers aged 20–24 years (OR 0.38, CI 0.17–0.96) and those involved in subsistence farming (OR 0.67, CI 0.38–1.45) were less likely to practice good newborn care compared to those in other occupations. Newborn care practices were sub-optimal in this refugee setting. To improve newborn care practices, there is need to educate mothers through community-based health interventions in order to promote delayed bathing, ideal infant feeding, thermal and umbilical cord care.
Highlights
Over the last decade, increased commitments towards improving the lives of infants across the globe have resulted in the steady decline of under-five mortality rates
Mothers who had obtained at least primary education were more likely (AOR 1.45, 95% CI: 3.11, 7.14) to have initiated breastfeeding early as were those involved in subsistence farming (AOR 2.54, CI: 1.12, 5.77)
Essential newborn care practices in this refugee setting were generally inadequate. This finding may suggest that Essential Newborn Care (ENC) interventions are not accessible and being utilized by mothers in this setting
Summary
Over the last decade, increased commitments towards improving the lives of infants across the globe have resulted in the steady decline of under-five mortality rates. Under-five mortality rates have declined substantially from 12.7 (12.6, 13.0) million in 1990 to 5.9 (5.7, 6.4) million in 2015 [1] Despite these declines, neonatal mortality rates have remained unacceptably high with an estimated 2.6 million deaths occurring annually. Neonatal mortality rates have remained unacceptably high with an estimated 2.6 million deaths occurring annually This represents nearly half (46%) of all under-five deaths globally [1]. In 2016, 99% of the 2.6 million newborns deaths occurred in low-income countries [3]. These countries accounted for 22% of the under-five deaths yet they only shared 12% of the under-five population [1]. Despite recent improvements in child survival, neonatal mortality remains high in most developing countries. Countries affected by humanitarian emergencies continue to report the highest neonatal mortality rates
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