MATERNAL AWARENESS, PERCEIVED DISPOSITION AND HABIT DETERMINANTS TO NEONATAL MORTALITY AMONG MOTHERS DELIVERING AT A COUNTY REFERRAL HOSPITAL, KENYA

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Purpose: The study sought to establish the maternal awareness, perceived disposition and habit determinants to neonatal mortality among mothers delivering at a County Referral Hospital, Kenya. 
 Design: A descriptive cross-sectional hospital-based study. The study was carried out in Nakuru county referral Hospital, Kenya, in the postnatal wards in the maternity unit. Mothers who delivered and gave consent in the maternity unit in Nakuru county Referral Hospital were recruited. Mothers who did not deliver and were referred to Nakuru county referral hospital and declined to give consent were excluded from the study. The sample size was determined using Fisher et al 1999 formula. The targeted sample size was therefore 278 mothers. The study respondents were identified using systematic random sampling. Quantitative data was collected using a pre-tested questionnaire by the research assistants. Data was entered into the computer and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Univariate analysis was presented using descriptive statistics like graphs, bar charts, pie charts and tables. Bivariate analysis was presented using inferential statistics like chi square and probability estimations to test for significance.
 Results: Neonatal mortality was significantly associated with the maternal determinants. Maternal awareness (p=<0.001), disposition (p=0.001), habits (p=0.009)) all had significant relationships. From qualitative data, there was a linkage between neonatal deaths and cultural factors such as traditional practices and home delivery. Inadequate health care providers’ services, like lack of counseling to mothers on prevention of neonatal deaths before and after delivery, were strongly stated by the participants as being associated with neonatal deaths.
 Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The Health care providers should ensure that mothers are empowered with knowledge on prevention of neonatal mortality which should include counseling on risk factors during pregnancy and the health education should be spread from pregnancy to discharge and during follow-up visits.