Factors associated with adoption of beneficial newborn care practices in rural Eastern Uganda: a cross-sectional study

Assessment of breast-feeding and weaning practices of under-fives and their associated co-morbidities in urban and rural areas of Ahmedabad City, Gujarat, India

Introduction

Shaping up the post-2015 development agenda is of crucial importance in the development process around the Globe as 20151 was the last year of milllenium development goals. It is the right time to asses our own progress vis-a-vis the Millennium development goals. Appropriate feeding and weaning practices are the key contributor for decreasing morbidities and mortalities in under-five children. As per national family health survey-5 (NFHS-5), only 55.8% of the Indian infants between 0 and 6 months were exclusively breastfed in Gujarat. Children age 6-8 months receiving solid or semi-solid food and breast milk were only 49.4% in Gujarat. Only 5.8% of breastfeeding infants aged 6-23 months receive an adequate diet in Gujarat. Hence the following study was done to know the practice of breastfeeding and weaning in mothers of urban and rural area of Ahmedabad city, Gujarat.

Objective

The primary objective of this study was to describe the breastfeeding and newborn care practices and the factors affecting the initiation and duration of breastfeeding in urban and rural areas of Ahmedabad city, Gujarat and the secondary objective was to describe the comorbidities associated with them.

Methods

Cross-sectional study was done in anganwadis of slums of urban and rural field practice area of B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad.

Results

Half of the under-five children were provided jaggery as pre-lacteal feed both in urban (45%) and rural (53%) area. In urban area most common reason for providing pre lacteal feeds was due to family customs (55%) followed by their belief that it leads to help in removal of meconium from gut (22%) followed by as advised from their relatives (23%) as compared to in rural area where there was belief that it leads to help in removal of meconium from gut (52%) followed by family customs (31%) and advise from relatives (17%). There were 7.5% under-five children in urban area in whom breastfeeding was not initiated immediately compared to rural area in which there were 42% under-five children.

Conclusion

Frequent occurrence of acute illness among under-fives may have lead to undernutrition.

Essential newborn care practices and associated factors among home delivered mothers in Guto Gida District, East Wollega zone

BACKGROUND

Essential Newborn Care is a set of strategic and cost-effective interventions planned to improve the health of newborns through the care they receive from birth up to 28 days. In the current study area, little is known about the prevalence of essential newborn care practices and its associated factors. This study was aimed to assess the prevalence of essential newborn care practice and its associated factors among home-delivered mothers in Guto Gida district, western Ethiopia.

METHODS

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Guto Gida district from September 5 to 15, 2020. Data were collected by interviewing 601 systematically selected home-delivered women. Descriptive statistics were employed to describe frequency and percent. Binary logistic regression analysis was employed to identify candidate variables for the final model. Variables with p-value less than 0.25 at bivariate logistic regression were considered as the candidate variable and entered into multivariable logistic regression model. Finally, multivariable logistic regression was employed to identify associated factors at p-value less than 0.05, and the strength of association was described by adjusted odds ratios with 95% CI.

RESULTS

The study shows that the level of essential newborn care practices was 168 (28%) (23.9-31.4). In this study, women in the first wealth quantile (AOR [95% CI] = 0.64 [0.34-0.97]), women who had one live birth (AOR [95% CI] = 0.51 [0.22-0.87]), women who lost their neonate before the study period (AOR [95% CI] = 0.11 [0.05-0.22]) were less likely to practice essential newborn care. Women who were advised on essential newborn care practice during a home visit by health extension workers (AOR [95% CI] = 3.45[1.56-7.26]), women who attended antenatal care during their current pregnancy (AOR [95% CI] = 1.79 (1.21-3.36]), and women who were attended at their birth by health extension workers (AOR [95% CI] = 3.29 [2.13-5.94]) were more likely to practice essential newborn care.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, the prevalence of essential newborn care practice was low (28%), as compared with the World Health Organization recommendation that it should be 100%. The wealth quantile, number of live births, home visits by health extension workers, antenatal care, birth attendant, and neonatal death were independent predictors of essential newborn care practices.

Sociodemographic characteristics and reproductive health factors associated with maternal knowledge and practice of infection prevention in neonates in North Dayi District, Ghana

Background

Neonates are at a greater risk of infection, but data on the maternal knowledge and practice of infection prevention in neonates (IPNs) are scarce. This study aimed to assess sociodemographic characteristics and reproductive health factors associated with maternal knowledge and practice of IPNs in North Dayi District, Ghana.

Methods

This was a multicenter cross-sectional study conducted among 612 mothers. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection adapted from previous studies and the IPN guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO). Bivariable analyses were performed to determine the association between maternal knowledge and practice of IPNs and sociodemographic characteristics and reproductive health factors.

Results

Analysis showed that less than one-fifth of the mothers (12.9%) had poor knowledge of IPNs, while 21.6% incorrectly practiced it. Mothers who had poor knowledge of IPNs [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 13.33 (95% CI: 7.69-23.26), p < 0.001] were more likely to have a poor practice of IPNs.

Conclusion

About one-fifth of the mothers in this study had poor knowledge or poor practice of IPNs according to the WHO's guidelines. The Health Directorate of North Dayi District should explore the risk factors associated with poor IPNs and increase successful guideline adherence with intensified educational outreach and campaigns.

Knowledge and practice of essential newborn care and associated factors among women in Ethiopia: systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

In developing countries, including Ethiopia the risk of neonatal death can be easily prevented and avoided by implementing essential newborn care with simple, low cost, and a short period time immediately after delivery. However, the problem is still persisting due to lack of adequate maternal and newborn care practice. Hence, this review aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of women’s knowledge and practice of essential newborn care and its associated factors in Ethiopia using systematic review and meta-analysis.

Method

An intensive literature search was performed from PubMed, Google Scholar, EMBASE, HINARI, Scopus, and Web of Sciences from April 1–30, 2021. Data were extracted by using a pre-tested and standardized data extraction format. The data were analyzed by using STATA 14 statistical software. I² tests assessed heterogeneity across the included studies. A random-effect model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of knowledge and practice of essential newborn care.

Results

From 1275 identified studies, 25 articles were included. The national pooled prevalence of essential newborn care knowledge and practice among women was 55.05% and 41.49% respectively. Secondary education (AOR = 2.75, 95% CI 1.62, 4.66), multiparity (AOR = 2.14, 95% CI 1.41, 3.26), antenatal care (AOR = 2.94; 95% CI 2.03, 4.26), and postnatal follow-up (AOR = 1.64, 95% CI 1.20, 2.23) were significantly associated with knowledge level whereas; primary education (AOR = 7.08, 95% CI 4.79, 10.47), urban residency (AOR = 2.22, 95% CI 1.65, 3.00), attending monthly meetings (AOR = 2.07, 95% CI 1.64, 2.62), antenatal care (AOR = 2.89, 95% CI 1.97, 4.26), advised during delivery (AOR = 2.54, 95% CI 1.80, 3.59), postnatal follow-up (AOR = 7.08, 95% CI 4.79, 10.47) and knowledge (AOR = 2.93; 95% CI 1.81, 4.75) were statistically significant with essential newborn practice.

Conclusions

The current systematic review and meta-analysis findings reported that the level of knowledge and practice of essential newborn care among Ethiopian women was low. Therefore, improvement of essential newborn through the provision of community-based awareness creation forum, improving antenatal and postnatal care follow up, education on essential newborn care to all pregnant and postnatal women are very important.

Trial registration Prospero registration: CRD 42021251521

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12978-022-01480-0.

Essential newborn care (ENC) is a single most cost-effective intervention to reduce neonatal mortality and morbidity both in developed and developing countries. An intensive electronic search from PubMed, Google Scholar, EMBASE, HINAR, Scopus, and Web of Sciences were performed to identify the primary studies. In this meta-analysis a total of 25 articles were included to estimate the polled prevalence of ENC knowledge and practice among Ethiopian women. Accordingly, the national pooled prevalence of ENC knowledge and practice among women was 55.05% and 41.49% respectively. In the current systematic review and meta-analysis, Secondary education, multiparity, antenatal care, and postnatal follow-up were significantly associated with knowledge level whereas; primary education, urban residency, attending monthly meetings, antenatal care, advised during delivery, postnatal follow-up and knowledge on ENC were found to be statistically significant with essential newborn practice. As per finding the knowledge and practice regarding essential newborn care among women in Ethiopian was significantly low. Hence, improvement of essential newborn through the provision of community-based awareness creation forum, improving antenatal and postnatal care follow up, education on essential newborn care to all pregnant and postnatal women are very important.

Knowledge, Practice, and Associated Factors of Essential Newborn Care among Sudanese Women in Eastern Sudan

(1) Background: There is a high neonatal mortality rate in countries with low resources, especially sub-Saharan countries. There is no published data in Sudan on mothers’ knowledge and practice of essential newborn care. This study aimed to assess the maternal knowledge and practice of essential newborn care in Gadarif city, eastern Sudan. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Gadarif city, eastern Sudan. Postnatal mothers (384) were recruited from postnatal and vaccination clinics. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Mothers who responded to essential newborn care knowledge and practice items at a rate equal to 75% or above were classified as having good knowledge and practice. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the factors associated with essential newborn care knowledge and practice. (3) Results: In this study, 268 (66.4%) and 245 (63.8%) of the 384 participants had good knowledge and practice of essential newborn care, respectively. None of the investigated factors (age, residence, education, occupation, parity, antenatal care, and mode of delivery) was associated with knowledge and practice of essential newborn care with sociodemographic and obstetric factors. Mothers with poor knowledge were less likely to have good practices (adjusted odds ratios = 0.41; 95% CI (0.26–0.64)). The reported malpractices were giving dietary supplements to the babies (48.2%), mainly water (40.0%) and cow’s milk (43.2%), and putting substances on the umbilical cord (62.8%), with butter (92.1%) accounting for the majority. (4) Conclusion: In the present study, around two-thirds of the participants had good essential newborn care knowledge and practice. Poor knowledge was less likely to be associated with good newborn care practices. More research is needed to build baseline data for neonatal mortality reduction plans.

Community-based new born care practice and its associated factors among women who give birth at home in Ethiopia: cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

In Ethiopia, perinatal mortality rate was 33 per 1000 pregnancies and 64.4% of this death was occurred within the first 7 days of neonatal life. Moreover, more than 2.1% of new born babies were died within their first seven days of life in Ethiopia. Majority of neonatal deaths are preventable by applying an effective and lifesaving interventions. However, little is known about newborn care practice at the community level.

METHODS

A community-based cross-sectional study design was used. Multi-stage sampling techniques were used to get a total of 540 mothers who gave birth at home within the past six months from their kebeles in Ethiopia. Data was collected by using face-to-face interview with structured questionnaires. Then the data was coded, cleaned, and entered into Epidemiological data version 3.1 and exported to statistical package for social science version 23.0 for analyses. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify statistically significant associations between dependent and independent variables. The odds ratio at 95% confidence interval with P-Value 0.05% was computed.

RESULTS

A total of 540 women were participated with a response rate of 98.3%. Only 208 (44%) of the women had good practice towards essential newborn care. Head of households [AOR (95%CI) 2.7417 (1.80-4.25)], type of birth attendant [AOR (95%CI) 3.962 (3.329-7.171)] and bad obstetrical history [AOR (95%CI) 3.151 (2.209-4.969)] were significantly associated with maternal newborn care practice.

CONCLUSION

Less than half of the mothers had good newborn care practice. In this study, head of household, type of birth attendant, and bad obstetrical history were significantly associated with maternal newborn care practice. Therefore, Ministry of Women and Woreda women and Child offices needs to promote the socioeconomic empowerment of women to increase the practice of essential newborn care practices.

Perceived quality of essential newborn care implementation among health facility deliveries in North Gondar Zone, Northwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Quality of essential newborn care is defined as the extent of health care services to improve the health of newborns. However, studies are scarce regarding the quality of newborn care implementation. Therefore, this study aimed to measure the magnitude and factors associated with essential newborn care implementation perceived quality among health facility deliveries in Northwest Ethiopia.

METHODS

A facility-based cross-sectional study design was employed to collect data from 370 randomly selected deliveries in 11 health facilities from November 2018 to March 2019. Essential newborn care implementation perceived quality was assessed in two domains (delivery and process) from clients' perspectives. A pre-tested interviewer-administered structured questionnaire was adopted from different kinds of literature and guidelines. The research data were collected by trained midwives and nurses. A binary logistic regression model was used to identify associated factors with newborn care implementation perceived quality. Odds ratio with 95% CI was computed to assess the strength and significant level of the association at p-value < 0.05.

RESULTS

About 338 mothers completed the interview with a response rate of 97.1%. The mean age of the study participants was 26.4 (SD = 5.7) with a range of 12 and 45 years. Most mothers, 84.3%, have attended antenatal care. The overall implementation perceived quality of essential newborn care was found to be 66.3%. The implementation perceived quality of cord care, breast-feeding and thermal care was 75.4, 72.2 and 66.3% respectively. Newborn immunization and vitamin K administration had the lowest implementation perceived quality i.e. 22.4 and 24.3% respectively. Friendly care during delivery (AOR = 5.1, 95% CI: 2.4, 11.0), partograph use (AOR = 3.0, 95% CI: 1.1, 8.6), child immunization service readiness (AOR = 2.9, 95% CI: 1.5, 5.7), BEmEONC service readiness (AOR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.2, 3.9) and facing no neonatal illness at all (AOR = 4.2, 95% CI: 1.6, 10.9) were significantly associated with good essential newborn care implementation qualities.

CONCLUSIONS

The perceived quality of essential newborn care implementation was low in the study area. This is associated with poor readiness on BEmEONC and child immunization services, unfriendly care and not using partograph during delivery. Hence, availing the BEmEONC and the child immunization service inputs, continuous training and motivation of healthcare workers for friendly care are vital for improving essential newborn care implementation perceived quality.

Essential newborn care practice and its associated factors in Southwest Ethiopia

Background

Essential newborn care is a wide-ranging strategy intended to improve the health of newborns by implementing appropriate interventions. Approximately in 2018, an estimated 2.5 million children died in their first month of life, which is approximately 7000, newborns every day, with about a third of all neonatal deaths occurring within the first day after birth. Even though the most cause of death is preventable the burden of neonatal death is a still high in developing countries including Ethiopia. Therefore this study is aimed to assess the level of essential newborn care practice among mothers who gave birth within the past six months in Gurage Zone, Southwest Ethiopia.

Methods

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among mothers who gave birth within the past six months in Gurage Zone, Southwest Ethiopia. For the quantitative part, 624 study participants were involved by using a multi-stage sampling method. A systematic random sampling technique was to reach the study subjects. Data entry was carried out by Epi data version 4.0.0 and analysis was done by SPSS window version 24. Binary and multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify associated factors. For the qualitative part, three focus group discussions (FGD) with purposively selected 30 mothers were involved. The data were analyzed deductively by using the thematic framework analysis approach by using Open code version 4.02.

Result

Overall good essential newborn care practice was found to be 41.0% [95%CI, 36.6–44.7]. Being urban residence [AOR 1.70, 95%CI: 1.03–2.79], attending antenatal care visit [AOR = 3.53, 95%CI: 2.14–5.83], attending pregnant mothers meeting [AOR = 1.86, 95%CI: 1.21–2.86], had immediate postnatal care [AOR = 3.92, 95% CI: 2.65–5.78], and having good knowledge about ENC [AOR = 2.13, 95% CI: 1.47–3.10] were significantly associated with good essential newborn care practice.

Conclusion

This study indicated that the magnitude of essential newborn care practice was low. Thus, a primary health care provider should regularly provide ENC for newborns and take opportunities to counsel the mothers about ENC during pregnant mothers meeting and MCH services sessions.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13690-021-00568-6.

Neonatal hypothermia in Northern Uganda: a community-based cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence, predictors and case fatality risk of hypothermia among neonates in Lira district, Northern Uganda.

SETTING

Three subcounties of Lira district in Northern Uganda.

DESIGN

This was a community-based cross-sectional study nested in a cluster randomised controlled trial.

PARTICIPANTS

Mother-baby pairs enrolled in a cluster randomised controlled trial. An axillary temperature was taken during a home visit using a lithium battery-operated digital thermometer.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES

The primary outcome measure was the prevalence of hypothermia. Hypothermia was defined as mild if the axillary temperature was 36.0°C to <36.5°C, moderate if the temperature was 32.0°C to <36.0°C and severe hypothermia if the temperature was <32.0°C. The secondary outcome measure was the case fatality risk of neonatal hypothermia. Predictors of moderate to severe hypothermia were determined using a generalised estimating equation model for the Poisson family.

RESULTS

We recruited 1330 neonates. The prevalence of hypothermia (<36.5°C) was 678/1330 (51.0%, 95% CI 46.9 to 55.1). Overall, 32% (429/1330), 95% CI 29.5 to 35.2 had mild hypothermia, whereas 18.7% (249/1330), 95% CI 15.8 to 22.0 had moderate hypothermia. None had severe hypothermia. At multivariable analysis, predictors of neonatal hypothermia included: home birth (adjusted prevalence ratio, aPR, 1.9, 95% CI 1.4 to 2.6); low birth weight (aPR 1.7, 95% CI 1.3 to 2.3) and delayed breastfeeding initiation (aPR 1.2, 95% CI 1.0 to 1.5). The case fatality risk ratio of hypothermic compared with normothermic neonates was 2.0 (95% CI 0.60 to 6.9).

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of neonatal hypothermia was very high, demonstrating that communities in tropical climates should not ignore neonatal hypothermia. Interventions designed to address neonatal hypothermia should consider ways of reaching neonates born at home and those with low birth weight. The promotion of early breastfeeding initiation and skin-to-skin care could reduce the risk of neonatal hypothermia.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ClinicalTrial.gov as NCT02605369.

Assessment of knowledge and quality of essential newborn care practices in La Dade Kotopon Municipality, Ghana

Majority of neonatal deaths in developing countries have been associated with inappropriate or poorly practiced newborn care, specifically safe cord care, optimal thermal care and early initiation and practice of exclusive breastfeeding. There is limited information about the quality of these essential newborn care practices in Accra, Ghana. The main objective of this study was to assess the knowledge about and quality of essential newborn care practices (ENC) and determine related factors in La Dade Kotopon Municipal Assembly, Accra, Ghana. A questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among 423 mothers and caregivers in two hospitals to assess safe cord care, optimal thermal care and exclusive breastfeeding. Knowledge was assessed using eight statements regarding ENC and categorized as 'Adequate knowledge' and 'Inadequate knowledge' using a composite score. Practices were similarly categorized as 'Good' and 'Poor' ENC. Data were exported from Microsoft Excel into STATA version 15 for statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics were generated and inferential analysis was done using chi-square test and logistic regression to determine factors associated with good ENC at 95% confidence level. All respondents sampled participated in the study. A total of 263 (62%) respondents had adequate knowledge and 308 (73%) respondents practiced appropriate newborn care ('Good' ENC). The likelihood of appropriate newborn care practices was lower among mothers/caregivers who were unemployed (AOR = 0.13, 95% CI: 0.09-0.26), who had a home delivery (AOR = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.11-0.69) and made their first antenatal visit in the third trimester (AOR = 0.02, 95% CI: 0.01-0.35) compared to their counterparts. Knowledge of ENC was not associated with practice in this study. Appropriate newborn care practices were relatively high among the respondents. Improving sources of livelihood and targeted education to encourage early antenatal visits and facility-based births might improve newborn care where it is inadequate.

Predictors of infant-survival practices among mothers attending paediatric clinics in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, Nigeria

Background

Despite concerted global efforts towards achieving infant-survival, infant mortality lingers as a problem in developing countries. Environmental and personal-level factors are assumed to account for this situation. This study was undertaken to provide better understanding of the dynamics of predictors of infant-survival practices among mothers with infants attending paediatric clinics.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey design was adopted. Data was collected from 386 nursing mothers selected by convenience sampling. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used for data collection. The questionnaire consisted of 38-items including demographic information of respondents, health-literacy counsels received during antenatal care, social-support from significant others, and self-efficacy to carry-out infant-survival instructions. Responses were transformed into rating scales for each variable and data analysis was conducted by linear regression analysis with test of hypotheses at 5% level of significance.

Results

The mean age of respondents was 29.8 ± 5.8 years. Majority (81.6%) were married. Yorubas (83.90%) were predominant. Participants had mean scores of 10.50 ± 3.83, 10.56 ± 3.70 and 16.61 ± 4.56 respectively computed for levels of health-literacy, social-support, and self-efficacy. The dependent variable measured level of infant-survival practices and respondents scored 16.53 ± 4.71. The study found a significant association among variables. Self-efficacy was the major predictor variable of self-reported infant-survival practices (R = 0.466; R² = 0.217; P<0.05).

Conclusion

We conclude that participants had average levels of health-literacy, social-support, self-efficacy, and infant-survival practices. Healthcare providers should make efforts to empower pregnant women on activities essential for infant-survival. Family members of nursing mothers should as well be knowledgeable about the advantages of supporting them.

Patterns and determinants of essential neonatal care utilization among underprivileged ethnic groups in Midwest Nepal: a mixed method study

BACKGROUND

Globally in 2017 neonatal death accounted for 46% of under-five deaths. Nepal is among the developing countries which has a high number of neonatal deaths. The rates are high among poor socio-economic groups, marginalized, as well as people living in remote areas of Nepal. This paper, thus tries to examine the utilization pattern and maternal, household, and health service factors affecting underprivileged ethnic groups in Midwest Nepal.

METHODS

A cross-sectional mixed method study was conducted from September 2017 to April 2018 in Bardiya district. Quantitative data were collected from a household survey of women who gave live births within the last 12 months prior to data collection (n = 362). Interviews were also undertaken with 10 purposively selected key informants. Logistic regression model was used to determine the factors associated with essential neonatal care utilization. Thematic analysis was undertaken on the qualitative data.

RESULTS

Overall, neonatal care utilization was 58.6% (53.3-63.7%), with big variations seen in the coverage of selected neonatal care components. Factors such as birth order (2.059, 1.13-3.75), ethnicity (2.28, 1.33-3.91), religion (2.37, 1.03-5.46), perceived quality of maternal and neonatal services (2.66, 1.61-4.39) and awareness on immediate essential newborn cares (2.22, 1.28-3.87) were identified as the determining factors of neonatal care utilization.

CONCLUSIONS

The coverage of birth preparedness and complication readiness, adequate breastfeeding, and postnatal care attendance were very low as compared to the national target for each component. The determinants of essential neonatal care existed at maternal, household as well as health facility level and included ethnicity, religion, perceived quality of maternal and neonatal services, birth order and awareness on immediate essential newborn care. Appropriate birth spacing, improving the quality of maternal and neonatal services at health facilities and raising mother's level of awareness about neonatal care practices are recommended.

Infection control and treatment guidelines and neonatal mortality in a rural hospital in Uganda

Background: The neonatal mortality rate in Uganda has been 24-27/1000 live births for the last 14 years. Aim: To determine the impact on neonatal mortality of the introduction of infection prevention and treatment guidelines in a resource-poor setting. Methods: A prospective study was undertaken in Kagando Hospital, a rural hospital in Western Uganda of infants live-born in hospital and those admitted from the community or other hospitals between 2013 and 2017. Guidelines were developed from a literature review and informed by local doctors and nurses and a visiting paediatrician. The guidelines highlighted that unwell infants should be admitted to the neonatal unit which was a section of the paediatric ward, emphasised hand hygiene, the separation of infants with and without sepsis and that unwell infants should be treated with evidence-based antibiotic regimens and enteral feeds withheld from unwell infants. Mortality within 28 days of birth was audited for 3 months before and after the intervention; the audit was repeated 3 and 5 years later. Results: Pre-intervention, there were 137 neonatal admissions and 79 neonatal deaths in 3 months (0.58 deaths per admission). Post-intervention there were 187 admissions and the death rate was lower (0.26 deaths per admission, p < 0.001). Three years after the intervention, there were 60 deaths among 233 admissions (0.26 deaths per admission, p < 0.001) and, at 5 years, 53 deaths among 315 admissions (0.17 deaths per admission, p < 0.001). Conclusion: These data suggest that the introduction of infection, prevention and treatment guidelines can reduce neonatal mortality in a resource-poor setting.

Delayed illness recognition and multiple referrals: a qualitative study exploring care-seeking trajectories contributing to maternal and newborn illnesses and death in southern Tanzania

BACKGROUND

Maternal and neonatal mortality remain high in southern Tanzania despite an increasing number of births occurring in health facilities. In search for reasons for the persistently high mortality rates, we explored illness recognition, decision-making and care-seeking for cases of maternal and neonatal illness and death.

METHODS

We conducted 48 in-depth interviews (16 participants who experienced maternal illnesses, 16 mothers whose newborns experienced illness, eight mothers whose newborns died, and eight family members of a household with a maternal death), and five focus group discussions with community leaders in two districts of Mtwara region. Thematic analysis was used for interpretation of findings.

RESULTS

Our data indicated relatively timely illness recognition and decision-making for maternal complications. In contrast, families reported difficulties interpreting newborn illnesses. Decisions on care-seeking involved both the mother and her partner or other family members. Delays in care-seeking were therefore also reported in absence of the husband, or at night. Primary-level facilities were first consulted. Most respondents had to consult more than one facility and described difficulties accessing and receiving appropriate care. Definitive treatment for maternal and newborn complications was largely only available in hospitals.

CONCLUSIONS

Delays in reaching a facility that can provide appropriate care is influenced by multiple referrals from one facility to another. Referral and care-seeking advice should include direct care-seeking at hospitals in case of severe complications and primary facilities should facilitate prompt referral.

Essential newborn care practice and its predictors among mother who delivered within the past six months in Chencha District, Southern Ethiopia, 2017

Introduction

Components of essential newborn care and neonatal resuscitation are proven interventions for reducing neonatal mortality rate and stillbirth rates. Various studies have been conducted, but they failed in assessing health workers that delivered essential newborn care, facets of the health care system, and different traditional beliefs. As such, the primary aim of this study is to fill the gaps of the aforementioned previous studies, assess mothers’ current practice of essential newborn care and identify factors affecting newborn care practices in Chencha District, Southern Ethiopia.

Methods

A mixed type, community-based cross sectional study was conducted among 630 study participants by using one-stage cluster sampling method. Three focus group discussions (FGD) with purposively selected 18 mothers were involved for qualitative study. Data entry was carried out by Epi data version 3.1 and analysis was done by SPSS window version 22. Binary logistic regression was used to identify predictors. Qualitative data were analyzed deductively by using thematic framework analysis approach by using Open Code version 4.02.

Results

This study found that 38.4% of mothers had good practices in essential newborn care. Of the neonates, 52.9% received safe cord care, 71.0% received optimal thermal care and 74.8% had good neonatal feeding. Factors such as mothers receiving antenatal care, attending pregnant mothers meetings, receiving immediate postnatal care, wealth index, whether a complication was faced during delivery and overall knowledge of mothers were statistically significantly associated with practice.

Conclusions

This study indicated that the current rate of essential newborn care practice was low. As such, strengthening the provision of antenatal and postnatal care services, information communication education and behavioral change communications on essential newborn care are recommended.

Home-based neonatal care by Health Extension Worker in rural Sidama Zone southern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Home-based neonatal care is associated with a reduction in neonatal mortality in settings with poor access to health facility-based care. The first day of a child's life is a day of unparalleled opportunity to spare lives and sets the level for a sound future. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and timing of home-based neonatal care by health extension workers (HEWs) in the rural Sidama Zone of southern Ethiopia.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted, and a total of 2,040 mothers who had a live birth in the last 6 months were studied from 1 to 31 January 2017. Interviewer-administered data were collected using a standard questionnaire developed by the Saving Newborn Lives Program. A descriptive analysis and logistic regression analyses were done.

RESULTS

It was found that 252/2,040 (12.4%) mothers and their neonates were visited by the HEWs during the first month of birth. Out of all households who had a history of visits, 139 (55.2%) had a single visit. Of these, only 66/252 (26.2%) of the first visit were within the first 24 hours. Mothers who received postnatal home visit by the HEWs were at 1.35 times greater odds to have good postnatal practice compared to unvisited mothers (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.35, 95% CI [1, 1.71]). Mothers who gave their last birth at home were 36% less likely to have good postnatal practice compared to those who gave birth in a health institution (AOR 0.64, 95% CI [0.53, 0.79]).

CONCLUSION

Majority of the neonates did not get the recommended number and frequency of home visits. Postnatal home visit by HEWs had a great role in mothers having good postnatal practice. Therefore, all stakeholders should give attention on strengthening supportive supervision, proper implementation of community-based maternal and neonatal care is very crucial.

Effects of a participatory community quality improvement strategy on improving household and provider health care behaviors and practices: a propensity score analysis

BACKGROUND

Maternal and newborn health care intervention coverage has increased in many low-income countries over the last decade, yet poor quality of care remains a challenge, limiting health gains. The World Health Organization envisions community engagement as a critical component of health care delivery systems to ensure quality services, responsive to community needs. Aligned with this, a Participatory Community Quality Improvement (PCQI) strategy was introduced in Ethiopia, in 14 of 91 rural woredas (districts) where the Last Ten Kilometers Project (L10 K) Platform activities were supporting national Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEmONC) strengthening strategies. This paper examines the effects of the PCQI strategy in improving maternal and newborn care behaviors, and providers' and households' practices.

METHODS

PCQI engages communities in identifying barriers to access and quality of services, and developing, implementing and monitoring solutions. Thirty-four intervention kebeles (communities), which included the L10 K Platform, BEmONC, and PCQI, and 82 comparison kebeles, which included the L10 K Platform and BEmONC, were visited in December 2010-January 2011 and again 48 months later. Twelve women with children aged 0 to 11 months were interviewed in each kebele. Propensity score matching was used to estimate the program's average treatment effects (ATEs) on women's care seeking behavior, providers' service provision behavior and households' newborn care practices.

RESULTS

The ATEs of PCQI were statistically significant (p < 0.05) for two care seeking behaviors - four or more antenatal care (ANC) visits and institutional deliveries at 14% (95% CI: 6, 21) and 11% (95% CI: 4, 17), respectively - and one service provision behavior - complete ANC at 17% (95% CI: 11, 24). We found no evidence of an effect on remaining outcomes relating to household newborn care practices, and postnatal care performed by the provider.

CONCLUSIONS

National BEmONC strengthening and government initiatives to improve access and quality of maternal and newborn health services, together with L10 K Platform activities, appeared to work better for some care practices where communities were engaged in the PCQI strategy. Additional research with more robust measure of impact and cost-effectiveness analysis would be useful to establish effectiveness for a wider set of outcomes.