A Descriptive Study on Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Neonatal Care and Associated Factors among Antenatal Mothers in a Teaching Hospital, Sri Lanka

Abstract

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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.