Awareness of Post Natal Mothers regarding Neonatal Danger Signs with a view to provide Information Booklet
Pooja Rani
Department of Paediatric Nursing, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi College of Nursing, SMVDU (Kakryal), Katra, J&K.
*Corresponding Author E-mail: rani.pooja94@gmail.com
ABSTRACT:
Early detection of neonatal illness is an important step towards improving newborn survival. Neonates and young infants often present with non-specific symptoms and signs that indicate severe illness. These signs might be present at or after delivery or in a newborn presenting to hospital or develop during hospital stay.3 Objectives of the study were to assess awareness of mothers regarding neonatal danger signs and to develop an information booklet. A descriptive research design was adopted for the study. Data was collected from a total of 147 mothers at district hospital, Udhampur, J&K. Purposive sampling technique was used to collect data. The tool used for data collection was checklist to assess knowledge regarding neonatal danger signs. The data collected was analyzed by using descriptive statistics. Result revealed that majority (56.4%) of the mothers are in the age group of 21-25 years have no formal education (58.5%). Most of the mothers (72.7%) are housewife and (52.3%) had 2 children in the family. Majority of the mothers (96.5%) are from Hindu religion. Most of the mothers (65.3%) had source of information as Family/ Friends. Researcher found that majority of the mothers (61.9%) have poor knowledge and only 38.1 % of mothers have good knowledge regarding neonatal danger signs. The overall mean of the knowledge of mothers regarding neonatal danger signs is 3.65±1.46. At 5% of level of significance, selected demographic variables i.e., mother’s age, education, Occupation, no. of children and source of information were found significantly associated with the knowledge of mothers regarding neonatal danger signs. The researcher concluded that majority of the post natal mothers are not aware of neonatal danger signs and required to get knowledge regarding same. All of the participants were provided with information booklet to make them aware of neonatal danger signs.
KEYWORDS: Knowledge, Neonate, Neonatal Danger Signs, Post Natal Mothers.
INTRODUCTION:
“The little feet make the biggest footprints in our hearts.”
The birth of a baby is a wonderful and very complex process. Many physical and emotional changes occur for both mother and baby. A baby must make many physical adjustments to life outside the mother's body.
Leaving the uterus means that a baby can no longer depend on the mother's blood supply and placenta for important body functions.
In some cases, a baby has trouble making the transition outside the womb.10 Preterm birth, a difficult birth, or birth defects can make these changes more challenging.
A neonate is also called a newborn. The neonatal period is the first 4 weeks of a child's life. It is a time when changes are very rapid. Many critical events can occur in this period. Neonates and young infants often present with non-specific symptoms and signs that indicate severe illness.6 These signs might be present at or after delivery or in a newborn presenting to hospital or develop during hospital stay. The aim of initial management of a neonate presenting with these signs is stabilization and preventing deterioration. The signs include: not feeding well, convulsions, drowsy or unconscious, movement only when stimulated or no movement at all, fast breathing (>60 breaths per min), grunting, severe chest indrawing, raised temperature, > 38°C, hypothermia, < 35.5°C, central cyanosis.1
The first 28 days of life (the neonatal period) is the most vulnerable time for a child’s survival. Children face the highest risk of dying in their first month of life at an average global rate of 17 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2019, down by 52 per cent from 37 deaths per 1,000 in 1990. In comparison, the probability of dying after the first month and before reaching age 1 was estimated at 11 deaths per 1,000 and the probability of dying after reaching age 1 and before reaching age 5 was estimated at 10 deaths per 1,000 in 2019.4 Globally, 2.4 million children died in the first month of life in 2019 approximately 6,700 neonatal deaths every day with about a third of all neonatal deaths occurring within the first day after birth, and close to three-quarters occurring within the first week of life.2
Neonates often develop infections subsequent to exposure to pathogens. Newborns that have been born prematurely are even more susceptible to such infections. Newborns born earlier than 28 weeks’ gestation (extremely premature newborns) are estimated to have an incidence of microbial infection that is 5–10 times higher than that of their full-term equivalents. Neonates are at risk of developing severe disease as a result of maternal NPEV infection at the time of delivery. In these cases, transplacental or perinatal transfer of virus may occur. Typically, severe neonatal NPEV infections present during the first 1–2 weeks of life.7
MATERIAL AND METHODS:
A community based cross sectional study was conducted in month of March 2021 among post-natal mothers at District hospital, Reasi, J&K. A total of 147 post-natal mothers were selected by purposive sampling technique. A self-structured questionnaire was used to collect the data from the selected samples. Tool consisted of two parts. Part-A consisted of selected demographic variables of post-natal mothers and part-B consisted of list of neonatal danger signs. Mothers who mentioned at least four or more than four NNF neonatal danger signs were considered as having good knowledge, and those who mentioned less than four were considered as having poor knowledge. Analysis was done by using descriptive and inferential statistics (Frequency and percentage, Mean, Standard deviation and chi-square).
RESULT:
The data obtained from mothers are organized, analyzed and presented under the following headings:
Section I: Description of Demographic variables
Section II: Knowledge of post natal mothers regarding neonatal danger signs
Section I: Description of demographic variables:
Table 1: Frequency and percentage distribution of post natal mothers according to demographic variables.
|
Demographic variables |
N |
% |
|
|
Age of mother |
<20 yrs |
29 |
19.7 |
|
21-25 yrs |
83 |
56.4 |
|
|
26-30 yrs |
32 |
21.7 |
|
|
>30 yrs |
3 |
2.04 |
|
|
Education of mother |
No formal education |
86 |
58.5 |
|
Primary |
15 |
10.2 |
|
|
Matriculate |
21 |
14.2 |
|
|
Graduate |
25 |
17 |
|
|
Occupation of mother |
Private job |
26 |
17.6 |
|
Govt. job |
3 |
2.04 |
|
|
Self working |
11 |
7.4 |
|
|
Housewife |
107 |
72.7 |
|
|
Number of children in the family |
1 |
27 |
18.3 |
|
2 |
77 |
52.3 |
|
|
3 |
25 |
17 |
|
|
>3 |
18 |
12.24 |
|
|
Religion |
Hindu |
142 |
96.5 |
|
Christian |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Muslim |
4 |
2.72 |
|
|
Others |
1 |
0.6 |
|
|
Source of information |
Medical professional |
46 |
31.2 |
|
Media |
2 |
1.3 |
|
|
Magazines/ newspapers |
3 |
2.04 |
|
|
Family/ Friends |
96 |
65.3 |
|
Analysis of demographic variables shows that majority (56.4%) of the mothers are in the age group of 21-25 years have no formal education (58.5%). Most of the mothers (72.7%) are housewife and (52.3%) had 2 children in the family. Majority of the mothers (96.5%) are from Hindu religion. Most of the mothers (65.3%) had source of information as Family/ Friends.
Section II: Knowledge of mothers regarding neonatal danger signs:
Table 2: Frequency and percentage distribution of mothers according to Level of knowledge
|
Level of knowledge |
No. of mothers |
% |
Mean |
SD |
|
Good Knowledge |
56 |
38.1 |
3.65 |
1.46 |
|
Poor Knowledge |
91 |
61.9 |
Fig 1: Pie Diagram showing the percentage distribution of post natal mothers according to the level of knowledge.
Section III: Association between demographic variables and knowledge of mothers
Table 3: Association between selected demographic variables and knowledge of mothers
|
Demographic variables |
Level of knowledge |
df |
Table value |
Chi calculated value |
Inference |
||
|
Good |
Poor |
||||||
|
Age of mother |
<20 yrs |
5 |
24 |
3 |
7.82 |
11.91 |
S* |
|
21-25 yrs |
37 |
46 |
|||||
|
26-30 yrs |
11 |
21 |
|||||
|
>30 yrs |
3 |
0 |
|||||
|
Education of mother |
No formal education |
21 |
65 |
3 |
7.82 |
24.3 |
S* |
|
Primary |
4 |
11 |
|||||
|
Matriculate |
14 |
7 |
|||||
|
Graduate |
17 |
8 |
|||||
|
Occupation of mother |
Private job |
12 |
14 |
3 |
7.82 |
9.14 |
S* |
|
Govt. job |
2 |
1 |
|||||
|
Self working |
8 |
3 |
|||||
|
Housewife |
34 |
73 |
|||||
|
Number of children in the family |
1 |
4 |
23 |
3 |
7.82 |
41.2 |
S* |
|
2 |
19 |
58 |
|||||
|
3 |
17 |
8 |
|||||
|
>3 |
16 |
2 |
|||||
|
Religion |
Hindu |
56 |
86 |
3 |
7.82 |
3.18 |
NS |
|
Christian |
0 |
0 |
|||||
|
Muslim |
0 |
4 |
|||||
|
Others |
0 |
1 |
|||||
|
Source of information |
Medical professional |
5 |
41 |
3 |
7.82 |
28.3 |
S* |
|
Media |
0 |
2 |
|||||
|
Magazines/ newspapers |
0 |
3 |
|||||
|
Family/ Friends |
51 |
45 |
|||||
(P=0.05) NS-Non Significance, df-degree of freedom, S*-Significance
Knowledge level of 147 mothers was collected by questionnaire method which indicates majority of the mothers (61.9%) had poor knowledge and only 38.1 % of mothers had good knowledge regarding neonatal danger signs. The overall mean of the knowledge of mothers regarding neonatal danger signs is 3.65±1.46.
Table no.3 depicts that at 5% of level of significance, selected demographic variables i.e., mother’s age, education, Occupation, no. of children and source of information are significantly associated with the knowledge of mothers regarding neonatal danger signs.
DISCUSSION:
A cross-sectional study was undertaken to assess the knowledge of post-natal mothers regarding neonatal danger signs at Dist. Hospital, J&K in the month of March 2021. The data was collected using self-structured questionnaire from 147 post-natal mothers which were selected by purposive sampling technique. The data collected was analyzed by using descriptive statistics. It can be seen from the result that majority (56.4%) of the mothers are in the age group of 21-25 years have no formal education (58.5%). Most of the mothers (72.7%) are housewife and (52.3%) had 2 children in the family. Majority of the mothers (96.5%) are from Hindu religion. Most of the mothers (65.3%) had source of information as Family/ Friends. It was evidenced that majority of the mothers (61.9%) had poor knowledge and only 38.1% of mothers had good knowledge regarding neonatal danger signs. The overall mean of the knowledge of mothers regarding neonatal danger signs is 3.65±1.46. At 5% of level of significance, selected demographic variables i.e., mother’s age, education, Occupation, no. of children and source of information were found significantly associated with the knowledge of mothers regarding neonatal danger signs.
The study findings expressed that majority of the mothers are not aware regarding neonatal danger signs. An informational booklet was provided to enhance awareness of post-natal mothers regarding neonatal danger signs.
CONCLUSION:
Danger signs in the neonatal period (0–28 days) are non-specific and that indicates severe illness. Neonatal Danger Signs (NDSs) are signs used in integrated management of neonatal and child illness (IMNCI) by practitioners to identify children who need medical care. The purpose of the study is to assess knowledge of post-natal mothers regarding neonatal danger signs. Result revealed that majority of the mothers (61.9%) had poor knowledge and only 38.1% of mothers had good knowledge regarding neonatal danger signs. Researcher concluded that post-natal mothers are less aware regarding neonatal danger signs and need to be educated to avert the high magnitude of neonatal mortality.
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Received on 28.02.2022 Modified on 11.04.2022
Accepted on 19.05.2022 © A&V Publications all right reserved
Int. J. Nur. Edu. and Research. 2022; 10(3):207-210.
DOI: 10.52711/2454-2660.2022.00048