Background:Premature infants represent a vulnerable group of infants who require special care. Mothers play a crucial role in providing appropriate care for premature infants; therefore, their knowledge and attitudes are important factors influencing outcomes. Objectives: This study aimed to assess mothers’ knowledge and attitudes regarding premature infant care and to determine the relationship between knowledge, attitudes, and selected demographic variables. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Karbala Teaching Hospital for Children from 26th November 2022 to 28th June 2023. A non-probability (convenience) sample of 112 mothers was selected. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 26. Results: The results showed that 54.5% of mothers had low knowledge, 38.4% had moderate knowledge, and 7.1% had high knowledge regarding premature infant care. Regarding attitude, 80.4% of mothers demonstrated a negative attitude, while 19.6% showed a positive attitude. A statistically significant relationship was found between mothers’ knowledge and residence (p = 0.015) as well as mother’s age (p = 0.004). No significant association was observed between mothers’ attitudes and demographic variables (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The study concluded that most mothers had low knowledge and negative attitudes toward premature infant care. Educational programs are recommended to improve mothers’ knowledge and promote positive attitudes.
Saadoon et al. (Tue,) studied this question.