Mothers’ Knowledge about Neonatal Danger Signs and Health Seeking Actions during Neonatal Illness at Muhimbili National Hospital

Abstract

Background: Neonatal period is the most critical time for survival of an infant. Neonatal deaths account 45% of all under five deaths worldwide. Tanzania is among the countries to have reduced under five years’ mortality but not neonatal mortality. This suggests the lack of timely and appropriate neonatal care intervention when danger signs are recognized. Aim of the study: The study intended to determine the knowledge about neonatal danger signs and health seeking action among the mothers with neonates. Methodology: This was a descriptive hospital based cross-sectional study, conducted at Muhimbili National Hospital. The study enrolled 216 women. The women were individually interviewed face to face using Swahili questionnaire. Simple random sampling method was used to select the women for the study. Data was coded, entered, cleaned and analyzed in SPSS for windows version 21. Chi-square test (p value) and Multivariate analysis used to define the significant association between dependent and independent variables.. Results A total of 216 mothers’ were interviewed between May and June 2017. Large proportion 156 (72.2%), of mothers had low knowledge on neonatal danger signs. Respondents with completed secondary education were more likely to have average knowledge by six (6) times more than those without formal education and the associations was statistically significant (p=0.018).The study confirmed that the higher the knowledge about neonatal danger signs the higher the appropriate health seeking actions among mothers, and the higher the decrease of in-appropriate actions among them by 9.3% however this association statistically insignificant (p=0.792). Conclusion There is low level of knowledge on danger signs of neonatal illness among the mothers with neonates in Dar es Salaam. Knowledge about neonatal danger signs need to be increased because it is associated with appropriate health seeking actions.

Recommendations Low knowledge of danger signs of neonatal illness and in-appropriate health seeking actions can be improved by Midwives and other trained health care providers to educate pregnant women about danger signs of neonatal illness during antenatal visits and emphasize more after delivery before being discharge home.