Abstract
BackgroundNeonatal mortality has persisted high in Ethiopia in spite of many efforts being applied to decrease this adverse trend. Early detection of neonatal illness is an important step towards improving newborn survival. Toward this end, there is a need for the mothers to be able to identify signs in neonates that signify severe illnesses. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge about neonatal danger signs and its associated factors among postnatal mothers attending at Woldia general hospital, Ethiopian.MethodsInstitutional based cross-sectional study design was conducted from January–May, 2017. The hospital that provides antenatal care (ANC), delivery, and postnatal services was purposively sampled. Structured interviewer managed questionnaire was administered to postnatal mothers attending Woldia general hospital. Frequencies, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were determined using the SPSS software (Version 20).ResultsDuring the study period 197 mothers attending postnatal care (PNC) service at Woldia general hospital were interviewed. Information on different neonatal danger signs was not provided to 92(46.7%) postnatal mothers during their antenatal clinic attendance by the healthcare providers. The majority of mothers, 174(88.3%) identified less than six neonatal danger signs. The hotness of the body of neonates was the commonly recognized danger sign by 106(53.8%) postnatal mothers. Of the total mothers, 67(34%), 60(30.5%), 56(28.4%), 44(22.3%) recognized unable to breastfeeding, convulsion, lethargy, difficulty in breathing as newly born danger signs, respectively. Out of 197 mothers, 32(16.2%) were giving birth at home. Mother’s age(AOR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.99–3.08), marital status(AOR = 2.50, 95% CI: 0.29–4.31), mother’s education status(AOR = 3.48, 95% CI:1.57–8.72), husband’s education(AOR = 4.92, 95% CI: 1.29–12.81), attending ANC (AOR = 2.88, 95% CI: 1.15, 4.85), mother’s residence(AOR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.47–1.65), information about neonatal danger signs(AOR = 3.48, 95% CI 1.40–9.49) had positive association with maternal level of knowledge to identify different neonatal danger signs.ConclusionMaternal knowledge level about neonatal danger signs was very low. Therefore, intervention modalities that focus on increasing level of parental education, access to ANC and PNC service are needed.
Highlights
Neonatal mortality has persisted high in Ethiopia in spite of many efforts being applied to decrease this adverse trend
Mothers who live in the urban area were 22% more likely to have knowledge (AOR = 0.78, 95% Confidence interval (CI): 0.47–1.65) about neonatal danger signs as compared to those living in rural area
In this study mothers who had diploma certificate and above were three times (AOR = 3.48, 95% CI: 1.57–8.72) more likely to be knowledgeable about neonatal danger signs as compared to mothers who can’t read and write
Summary
Neonatal mortality has persisted high in Ethiopia in spite of many efforts being applied to decrease this adverse trend. Detection of neonatal illness is an important step towards improving newborn survival. In Ethiopia, about 120,000 babies died at the first 4 weeks of life [5], and this neonatal mortality rate accounts for 42% of under-5 deaths in the country [5, 6]. The majority of this newborn death occurs at home (outside the formal health system) where only a few mothers and families recognize danger signs of newborn illness [3, 4]. Okawa et al, reported that potential determinants of neonatal danger signs and factors that would delay for sick newborn treatment were categorized into four domains: maternal factors, family factors, antenatal factors, and delivery factors [10]
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