Attached
The neonatal mortality is one of the most neglected health problem in the developing world. The
proper and adequate knowledge, attitudes regarding neonatal care among mothers needed to recover
this problem. The aim o f present study is to describe level o f knowledge, attitudes on neonatal care
and associated factors among mothers in antenatal clinics at Colombo South Teaching Hospital. A
descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 377 o f antenatal mothers from Colombo
South Teaching Hospital using pretested interviewer administered questionnaire. Findings o f the
study showed that more than half of the participants (55.2%) had inadequate knowledge level on
neonatal care. Majority o f them 95% had favorable attitudes level on neonatal care. The age of
antenatal mothers (P = 0.032), average monthly-income (P = 0.022), number o f living children in
family (P = 0.000) and main source of information on neonatal care (P = 0.001) were significantly
associated with poor knowledge level regarding neonatal care. Similarly, living area (P = 0.010) and
main source of information (P = 0.021) were significantly associated with moderate attitudes level on
neonatal care. Findings o f the study indicated that nearly half o f the antenatal mothers had inadequate
level of knowledge regarding neonatal care. Health education programmes regarding neonatal care to
antenatal mothers could be a tool to recover this problem.
