Fikadu Nugusu, Madda Walabu University
The majority of new born deaths occur at home where few families recognize signs of newborn illness. Thus, this study was intended to assess the level of knowledge and health care seeking behavior about neonatal danger signs and associated factors among mothers in Gasera district, Ethiopia. Community based cross sectional study design was conducted from March 12 to April 10, 2017 using a quantitative method supplemented with a qualitative method. Multistage stratified sampling method used to select 501 study participants for the quantitative stage, whereas a purposive sampling method was used for the qualitative part. Logistic regression techniques along with thematic qualitative data analysis was used. The proportion of mothers who had knowledge of neonatal danger signs was found to be 26.0%. The odds of having good knowledge was associated with husband’s formal education, birth preparedness, health extension workers home to home visit, receiving family health booklet.
About 182(55.8%) of mothers sought medical treatment for their newborn. Likewise, the odds of having good health care seeking behavior for neonatal illness was associated with maternal knowledge of danger signs, family income, postnatal care follow up, and receiving a family health card. Therefore, intervention modalities focusing on increasing access to postnatal care services, provision, and use of an integrated family health booklet for health information, and health extension workers home to home visits were recommended.
Researcher Bio:
Fikadu Nugusu is currently working at Madda Walabu University as lecturer of public health and has three years experience serving the community as public health practitioner at Dembel health center in Gasera district of Bale zone, Ethiopia. He has a Masters of Public Health (MPH) in General Public Health from Madda Walabu University and a BSc degree in Public Health Officer from Ambo University, Ethiopia. His research interests are to undertake public health research that encourages evidence-based interventions and policy especially among the vulnerable groups including children.
Contact: fikadu215@gmail.com
