The Influence of Social Awareness and Social Skills on the Quality of Midwife Partnerships in Postnatal Care Services

Abstract

Postpartum maternal deaths have always been more than 50% of total maternal deaths from 2016-2021, and the realization of visits by postpartum mothers at Community Health Centers has also not met the target. The low number of visits is due to the fact that postpartum mothers still need strong encouragement and motivation. Midwives have the role of providing information, education and monitoring the condition of postpartum mothers, so midwives need support from social competence and good partnerships with various parties. This research aims to analyze the influence of social competence, which includes social awareness and social skills, on midwife partnerships in postnatal care services. The research design is observational analytic with a cross-sectional time approach. The research location was carried out at 63 Community Health Centers, Surabaya City, Indonesia with a sample of 100 midwives taken using Proportional Stratified Random Sampling. The variables measured are social awareness, social skills and partnerships through distributing questionnaires. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test. This research has gone through an ethical review with number 085/HRECC.FODM/III/2022. The research results showed that the social awareness competency and social skills of midwives related to postnatal care services had a good percentage rating (93%, 81%, 98%). The quality of midwife partnerships in providing postnatal care services is influenced by social awareness (p= 0.04 & PR= 0.714x), but not influenced by social skills (p=0.345). If midwives' social awareness is better, the quality of midwife partnerships will be better. Therefore, midwives must be able to establish good relationships and be more open in communicating with colleagues or other work units when serving postpartum mothers.