Objective: Good knowledge of neonatal danger signs and appropriate health seeking practices are strategic in improving neonatal health and survival. This study was done to assess knowledge of neonatal danger signs and health-seeking practices among mothers with infants visiting the outpatient clinic of Ola During Children’s Hospital. Methodology: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 114 mothers with infants visiting the outpatient clinic of Ola During Children’s Hospital (ODCH), from June 1st to July 5th 2024. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire through face-to-face interview. Mothers who were able to mention at least 3 neonatal danger signs without prompt were considered to have good knowledge. Independent predictors of mothers’ knowledge were identified by multinomial logistic regression analysis. Results: The results showed that 51 (44.7%) of the respondents had good knowledge of neonatal danger signs. Also, the health seeking practices of the mothers showed positive results as most of the mothers (72.6%) whose neonates developed danger signs, sought appropriate healthcare practices. Mother’s educational status (AOR = 5.370), occupation (AOR = 2.194) and higher parity (AOR = 3.512), were significant predictors of mother’s knowledge of neonatal danger signs. Conclusion: The study showed that maternal knowledge of neonatal danger signs was low despite having a reasonable level of health-seeking practices for neonatal danger signs. Existing efforts at educating expectant mothers should be enhanced to improve knowledge about neonatal danger signs among expectant mothers.
Akhigbe et al. (Tue,) studied this question.