Knowledge of neonatal danger signs, care seeking practice and associated factors among postpartum mothers at public health facilities in Ambo town, Central Ethiopia

Abstract

Objective Neonatal mortality has remained high in Ethiopia inspite of different efforts being undertaken to reduce this negative trend. Early detection of neonatal illnesses has an important step towards improving newborn survival. Toward this end, there is a need for postpartum mothers to be able to identify signs in neonates that signifies severe neonatal illnesses. There is limited information about the knowledge of post-partum mothers on NDSs and associated factors in the study area. This study aims to assess knowledge of NDSs, care-seeking practice and associated factors among postpartum mothers in Ambo town, Ethiopia, 2018. A systematic random sampling was employed to select respondents and data was collected through face-to-face interviews. Both bivariate and multivariable logistic regressions were utilized. Results One-fifth 82 (20.3%) of postpartum mothers have good knowledge about NDSs. Only 60.5% of mothers whom their baby developed danger-sign sought medical care for their baby from health facility immediately. Mothers who have diploma/more education (AOR = 5.25, CI 1.48–18.59), whose current baby developed danger-signs (AOR = 3.18 CI 1.06–9.52), having PNC follow-up (AOR = 2.29, CI 1.24–4.24) and receiving counseling on newborn care after delivery (AOR = 1.78, CI 1.04–3.04) were factors associated with having good knowledge on NDSs. In this study the level of postpartum mother’s knowledge on NDSs and care-seeking practice were low.

<p>Mother’s Knowledge of Neonatal Danger Signs and Health-Seeking Practices and Associated Factors in Debretabor, Northwest Ethiopia: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study</p>

“…Mother's educational status, most recent baby developed danger signs, exposure to media, higher parity, birth preparedness, mother's decision-making power and husband involvement in MNCH were significant predictors of mother's knowledge of neonatal danger signs and healthcare-seeking for NDS. We found that mother's knowledge of neonatal danger signs was 36.5%, which was higher than findings from previous researches conducted in Ghana, 34 Nigeria, 35 Kenya, 36 Uganda 20 and similar studies elsewhere in Ethiopia including Wolkite, 10 Ambo, 17 Gondar, 22 and Woldia towns. 9 This discrepancy might be due to differences in the study period, socio-cultural characteristics, study setting and defining the outcome variable.…”

“…Mothers who were able to mention at least 3 neonatal danger signs among the 12 neonatal danger signs without prompt. 10,17,21 Appropriate Health-Seeking Practices Mothers who sought care for neonatal danger signs from well-qualified health professionals in governmental and/or private health facilities. 27,28 Inappropriate Health-Seeking Practices Mothers who sought care for neonatal danger signs other than qualified health professionals like purchasing over the counter drugs, treating by home remedies, seeking care from temples and traditional healers.…”

“…15 Evidence recommends that there is a need to increase awareness on NDS through the continuum of care to improve mother's knowledge of neonatal danger signs. [16][17][18] However, there is negligence of health professionals to create awareness on neonatal danger sign in the real world. The effective provision of compassionate and respectful care throughout all the continuum of care will increase the conscious intention of the mother's health-seeking practices for neonatal illness.…”

“…16 Besides, knowledge and healthseeking practice of mothers on neonatal danger signs are the best indicators of accessibility and quality of care provided by health professionals. 19 So far, studies in Enugu state in Nigeria, Uganda, Baghdad in Iran, and Ethiopia; Ambo town, Fogera district, Gondar town, Mekelle city, Woldia General hospital, Chencha district, and East Hararge zone revealed that mother's knowledge of neonatal danger signs were inconsistent which was 78.7%, 12 14.8%, 20 81%, 18 20.3%, 17 64.1%, 21 18.2%, 22 50.6%, 23 11.7%, 9 50.3% 24 and 9.38% 25 respectively.…”

Neonatal care and community-level treatment seeking for possible severe bacterial infection (PSBI) in Amhara, Ethiopia

“…Across contexts, recognition of neonatal danger signs are often proposed as a determinant of the types of care methods sought as well as care timeliness [6,23,28]. Symptoms that indicated illness among parental figures most often included fever, lack of breastfeeding and excessive or abnormal crying.…”