Knowledge and attitudes on neonatal care and associated factors among mothers in antenatal clinics of a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka

Abstract

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Objectives: Neonatal mortality is one of the most neglected health problems in the developing world. The proper and adequate knowledge and attitudes regarding neonatal care among mothers needed to control the neonatal mortality. There is a paucity of data regarding the level of knowledge, attitudes and associated factors on neonatal care among antenatal mothers in Sri Lanka. Objectives were to describe level of knowledge, attitudes on neonatal care and associated factors among mothers in antenatal clinics at Colombo South Teaching Hospital. Methods: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional using a pre-tested interviewer administered questionnaire among systematic randomly selected antenatal mothers (n=377). This study was approved by the Ethics Review Committee, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Results: The study found that more than half of the participants (55.2%) had inadequate knowledge level on neonatal care. Majority of them (95%) had favorable attitudes level on neonatal care. The age of antenatal mothers (P = 0.032), average monthly-income (P = 0.022), number of 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. Conclusions: Nearly half of the antenatal mothers had inadequate level of knowledge regarding neonatal care. This point to an urgent need of health education programs on neonatal care for antenatal mothers