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conferenceseries.com
Volume 4 Journal of Community & Public Health Nursing Public Health Nursing 2018
September 19-20, 2018
September 19-20, 2018 Singapore
7th International Conference on
Public Health and Nursing
J Comm Pub Health Nurs 2018, Volume 4
DOI: 10.4172/2471-9846-C1-003
A study on factors associated with maternal knowledge and health seeking behavior on neonatal
danger signs among mothers attending child welfare clinics in Piliyandala Medical Officer of
Health (MOH) area, Sri Lanka 2017.
Sasalanka Chamara
Sir John Kotalawala Defence University, Sri Lanka
A descriptive epidemiology of maternal knowledge on neonatal danger signs is required to identify gaps and barriers for
late health seeking behavior and reduce the burden of neonatal morbidity and mortality. A community based, descriptive
cross sectional study was conducted to assess the factors associated with maternal knowledge on neonatal danger signs
among mothers attending child welfare clinics in Piliyandala MOH area. Data collection was done using pre tested structured
questionnaire. Confidence intervals and p value for statistical significance were determined 95% and the p=0.05 level. 294
mothers were enrolled in the study.
Knowledge related identification of danger signs was more than 90%. But nearly 30% of mothers did not identify the going off
feeds and cold to touch as danger signs. Overall, most of the respondents 77.6% (228) had moderate knowledge of neonatal
danger signs while 15% were highly knowledgeable, and 7.5% were poorly knowledgeable. Health seeking behavior assessed
for urgent and critically sick neonate, selecting health care institution with the child with danger signs and selecting of health
care professional when child get sick. Reasons for possible delayed heath care seeking were assessed during the study. Level
of knowledge and association with demographic factors were examined. Age of participants, educational level, employment
status, monthly income type of family and parity were some factors that checked for significant association. Need to enhance
education of mothers’ knowledge further health education is required to enhance the knowledge on neonatal danger signs
those who have poor and moderate knowledge.