Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, And Practice About Immediate Newborn Care Among Health Care Providers in Addis Ababa Public Health Centers

Abstract

Background: Globally 4 million neonatal deaths every year, 75% (3 million) of this are in the
first week and highest is in the first day of life. Ethiopia has Neonatal Mortality rate of
39/1000 LB (EDHS 2005) and contributes for more than 50% of infant mortality.
Objective: To assess knowledge, attitude and practice of health care providers and explore
factors affecting provision of immediate newborn care in Addis Ababa public health centers.
Methods: This facility based cross sectional study is conducted from January to March 2011.
The study used both quantitative and qualitative approaches; structured questioner for
providers, observation of cases managed, in-depth interview of managers and record review.
Results: Over half (51.4%) of providers have satisfactory knowledge in immediate newborn
care. The overall knowledge related to essential newborn care is better than care for LBW and
sick newborn. Those with long years of service year, > 10 years, have a better knowledge than
others. Overall, the health providers interviewed had a very positive attitude towards newborn
care interventions, 98.6% of the responses from the providers had good and very good attitude
towards newborn care. The overall essential newborn care practice by providers in the last
case they provided service is satisfactory, 80.7% had a correct practice. The overall extra
care for premature or LBW practiced by providers in the last case they provided service was
not satisfactory, only 40.4% did practice at least half of the standard actions.