Assessment of mother's Knowledge, practices and believes toward home management of Neonatal jaundice in two pediatric teaching hospitals

Abstract EN

Background : Neonatal jaundice (NNJ)is one of the most common diseases globally.

It is believed that delays in detection and improper treatment of neonatal jaundice can be responsible for neonatal morbidity and mortality.

Knowledge and health seeking behavior of mothers play an important role in the course of this health condition.

Objectives: To study mother's knowledge and her health seeking behavior toward home management of neonatal jaundice.

Methods : A cross sectional study of non-probability convenience sample of 200 mothers of neonateswith neonatal jaundice who were admitted to Children Welfare Teaching Hospital and Ibn Al-Baladi Maternal and Child Hospitalduring the period from 1st of July to 1st of October, 2018.

Data were obtained by the researcherthrough direct interview of the mothers and completed the structural questionnaire.

Data were analyzed by SPSS through measuring frequencies, percentage, T test and chi squaretest.

Results : The study found that high percentage of mother's were primary school graduates (38.

5%), were unemployed (90%), continue the breastfeeding for NNJ (94.

5%).

Only (34.

0%) of mothers knew the cause, (71.

5%) correctly identified neonatal jaundice, (80%) exposed the child to florescent-light, (69%) use yellow beads, (69.

5%) avoid using yellow color for baby clothes and (69.

0%) avoid using yellow color for baby tools.

There weresignificant association between mothers` knowledge and mothers` age (p=0.

005), education (p=0.

029) and residency area (p = 0.

010), andbetweenmothers` practice and occupation (p=0.

039) and residency area (p=0.

030), andbetween mothers' believesand education (p=0.

001) and occupation (p=0.

031).

Conclusions : There are gaps in mothers' knowledge and health seeking behavior regarding neonatal jaundice as there are Fair to poor level for majority of the knowledge items, Slightly good level of mother's practices and High percentage of mothers still believed in thetraditional methods regarding home management of neonatal jaundice.

The suboptimal and inadequate knowledge of the mothers for majority of items was significantly associated with age and educational level of mothers.

There was significant correlation of mothers' seeking behaviors with occupation and educational level