Determinants of Essential Newborn Care Practices among Postnatal Women in Bawku Municipality

Abstract

Globally, an estimated 2.7 million deaths, approximately 45% of under-five deaths occurred in the neonatal period in 2015. This trend led to the inability of many countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goal four (MDG 4) by 2015; hence the introduction of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Many studies have concluded that poor newborn care accounts for high levels of newborn deaths in low-middle income countries. This study therefore investigated the determinants of Essential Newborn Care (ENC) practices among postnatal women in Bawku Municipality. A cross sectional study design was employed using multistage sampling technique to select 407 participants. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 20 was used for data analysis. Generally, knowledge of postnatal women on ENC was high (Mean = 33.78, SD = 5.32) and had a statistically significant correlation with age (r = .306, p > .001) and parity (r = .582, p > .001). A greater proportion of the respondents practiced safe cord care (69.7%) and good breastfeeding practice (77.4%). However, the practice of good thermal care was exceptionally low (22.3%). Mothers‟ level of education and place of delivery were significantly associated with all recommended newborn care practices. Level of education, ethnicity and place of delivery significantly predicted safe cord care; whereas good breastfeeding was predicted by place of delivery and knowledge on good breastfeeding. On the other hand, the significant predictors of good thermal care were mothers‟ level of education, place of delivery, ethnicity and socioeconomic class. These findings suggest that a substantial number of newborns still receive harmful newborn care practices which are determined by several factors. Therefore, the Ministry of Health (MOH) should take meticulous efforts to improve the uptake of recommended newborn care practices among postnatal women at the community level.