Mother's knowledge and attitude regarding recognition of neonatal signs of danger.

Abstract

Neonates are at risk for various health problems leading to morbidity and mortality that occur significantly in the developing countries. Reducing neonatal morbidity and mortality requires the immediate caregiver's recognition of suggestive neonatal signs of danger (NSD). Generally, reducing neonatal morbidity and mortality requires immediate caregiver's recognition of suggestive NSD and visiting the nearby clinic. The study aimed to assess mothers' knowledge and attitudes regarding the recognition of neonatal danger signs. This is a descriptive cross-sectional hospital-based study conducted at three hospitals located in Khartoum State. The data were collected using a structured interview questionnaire, from a sample, which consisted of 188 participants. The majority of the study population (72%) of the respondents had very poor knowledge about NSD. Fever was the commonest NSD recognised by most of the participant. Most of the study population had positive attitudes toward initiating the management of neonatal risk signs, which include: neonatal jaundice (82%), hypothermia (52.66%), convulsions (71.8%) and fast and difficult breathing (75%) at home. The results also showed that more than half of the participants (54.8%) had negative attitudes regarding the management of diarrhoea at home. The majority of mothers in our study had very poor knowledge about NSD.