Factors Influencing Women’s Knowledge at Scheduled Postnatal Visits: A Multi-Centre Study in Kakamega, Kenya
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Date
2021
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magonline library
Abstract
Background/Aims Postnatal care is offered to mothers and their babies from birth and
across the postnatal period. Visits are spread over the postnatal period, and a minimum
of four visits is recommended. In many studies, postnatal visits in Africa have been
reported to be low compared to antenatal visits. As a result of low postnatal visits,
mothers are not able to utilise postnatal care services, resulting in delayed detection of
and interventions for maternal and neonatal health problems, leading to high rates of
maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. In Kenya, only 53% of mothers attend
postnatal clinics; in Kakamega county, only 34% of mothers attend. This study aimed to
establish factors influencing postnatal knowledge among mothers in selected hospitals in
Kakamega, Kenya.
Methods The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study involving 320 postnatal
mothers recruited from four sub-counties. Systematic sampling was used to select
eligible study participants. Data were collected using questionnaires that assessed
the participants’ knowledge of postnatal care in terms of what postnatal care is,
recommended postnatal care, when to attend a clinic and the services offered at
postnatal care clinics. The data were entered into a database and analysed using the
Chi-squared test to assess how sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics
were associated with knowledge of postnatal care.
Results The majority of participants (73.1%) had poor or no knowledge of postnatal
care and 89.7% had poor or no knowledge on when postnatal visits should be carried
out. Most postnatal mothers (71.9%) received postnatal health information from health
workers. Occupation (P<0.000), income (P<0.000), transport (P<0.000) and time taken to
travel to hospital (P=0.034) were significantly associated with postnatal knowledge.
Conclusions Knowledge on postnatal care is poor among postnatal mothers in
Kakamega. The majority of participants obtained postnatal care information from health
workers, and so it is recommended that Kakamega establishes other strategies for giving
information on postnatal care, such as pamphlets to mothers
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Citation
Kiragu C, Osero JSO, Wanyoro AK. Factors influencing women’s knowledge at scheduled postnatal visits: a multi-centre study in Kakamega, Kenya. African Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health. 2021. https://doi.org/10.12968/ ajmw.2020.0044