Knowledge and Practices Of Child Bearing Age Mothers in Busigi Village on Umbilical Cord Care.

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Date
2016-10
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Volume Title
Publisher
Kampala International University, School of Health Sciences
Abstract
Neonatal mortality rate in Uganda is 27/1000 live births compared to global neonatal mortality rate of 21/1000 live births. 38% of these deaths are related to poor cord care in home deliveries and poor postnatal cord care due to low turn up of mothers for utilization of postnatal care services. The study aimed at assessing the knowledge and practices of child bearing mothers in Busigi village in Kisoro district on postnatal umbilical cord care. A cross sectional descriptive study was used. 150 mothers were selected by convenient sampling technique. Data collected using a questionnaire was analyzed using Microsoft excel and word. 85% of mothers knew that cord care is necessary for all new born, though only 4% knew right when it is initiated. Only 8% of mothers knew cord care for infection prevention, while larger percentages knew cord care for faster separation. Mothers knew to monitor for bleeding, progress in drying and separation, but not for smelling and redness. While applying salty water, leaving cord alone, and applying herbs were misconceived. 4.6% of mothers applied normal saline/salty water, 98.5% applied medication on cord, leave the cord to fall alone, 89.2% monitor for drying and separation, while only 13.8% monitors redness and smelling among other practices. 69% of mothers delivered from home, and 98% depended on home based postnatal care services. The main source of knowledge on cord care among mothers being their relatives. Knowledge on when cord care should be initiated and on importance of cord care is poor as the principle role of infection prevention is known by only few mothers 10.9%. Mothers’ practices are also poor. They are characterized with behaviors like application of herbs and other substances on the cord among others. Community education on when to initiate cord care in first hour of life is needed, emphasizing on ascetic techniques to prevent cord infections and related complications. Bad practices like herbs, failure to wash hands among others should be discouraged to effectively avoid challenges associated with them like cord sepsis and neonates’ death.
Description
A Research Report Submitted to Uganda Nurses and Midwives Examination Board in Partial Fulfilment of The Requirements for The Award of Diploma in Nursing Sciences.
Keywords
Child Bearing Age Mothers, Umbilical Cord Care
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