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Women's knowledge towards neonatal danger signs and its associated factors in Ethiopia: a systematic review and
Asmamaw Demis1, Getnet Gedefaw2, Adam Wondmieneh3
1Department of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, P.O. Box:400, Woldia, Ethiopia. asmamawdemis@gmail.com.
Insights
Maternal knowledge of neonatal danger signs in Ethiopia is low, with only 40.7% of women aware. Improving education, media access, and healthcare visits can enhance this crucial awareness to reduce infant mortality.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Neonatal Medicine
- Global Health
Background:
- Neonatal mortality remains a critical global health challenge, contributing significantly to preventable child deaths.
- Understanding neonatal danger signs is vital for timely intervention and reducing infant morbidity and mortality, particularly in settings with early discharge from health facilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze the prevalence of women's knowledge regarding neonatal danger signs in Ethiopia.
- To identify factors associated with maternal knowledge of neonatal danger signs to inform targeted interventions.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of fourteen cross-sectional studies involving 6617 participants.
- Searches were conducted across multiple electronic databases (MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, Hinari, Google Scholar, Web of Science) and grey literature.
- Cochran I² statistics and Egger's test with funnel plots were used to assess heterogeneity and publication bias.
Main Results:
- The pooled prevalence of women's knowledge of neonatal danger signs in Ethiopia was 40.7% (95% CI: 25.72, 55.67).
- Factors significantly associated with higher knowledge included higher maternal and paternal educational status, access to mass media, antenatal care (ANC) visits, postnatal care (PNC) follow-up, and delivery at a health institution.
Conclusions:
- Maternal knowledge of neonatal danger signs in Ethiopia is alarmingly low.
- Educational attainment, media exposure, and utilization of ANC and PNC services are key determinants of this knowledge.
- Strengthening community-based health information dissemination and promoting access to maternal and newborn healthcare services are crucial for improving neonatal outcomes.
Introduction:
Reducing neonatal mortality is an essential part of the third Sustainable Development Goal, to end preventable child deaths. Neonatal danger signs are the most common cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. In Ethiopia, most babies are born at home or are discharged from the health institutions in the first 24 h, as a result enhancing women's knowledge towards neonatal danger signs and its complication might reduce neonatal morbidity and mortality. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the women knowledge towards neonatal danger signs in Ethiopia.
Method:
MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, Hinari, Google scholar, web of science electronic databases and grey literature from repository were searched for all the available studies. Fourteen cross sectional studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Subgroup analysis was conducted for the evidence of heterogeneity. Cochrane I2 statistics were used to check the heterogeneity of the studies. Egger test with funnel plot were used to investigate publication bias.
Result:
Fourteen cross-sectional studies with a total of 6617 study participants were included for this study. The overall pooled prevalence of women's knowledge towards neonatal danger sign was 40.7% (95%CI, 25.72, 55.67). Having higher educational status of the women (AOR = 3.86, 95%CI: 2.3-6.5), having higher educational status of the husband (AOR = 4.57, 95%CI: 3.29-6.35), access to mass media (AOR = 1.69, 95%CI: 1.17-2.23), having antenatal care visits (AOR = 2.63, 95%CI: 1.13-4.67), having postnatal care follow up (AOR = 2.55, 95%CI; 1.72-3.79) and giving birth at health institutions (AOR = 2.51, 95%CI:1.68-3.74) were factors associated with knowledge of the women towards danger sign of the neonate.
Conclusion:
In this systematic review and meta-analysis the pooled prevalence of maternal knowledge towards neonatal danger sign was low. Educational status of the mother, educational status of the husband, access to mass media, antenatal care follow-up, postnatal care follow-up and place of delivery were factors associated with knowledge of the mother towards danger sign of the newborn. Promoting antenatal care, postnatal care follow-up and community-based health information dissemination about neonatal danger signs should be strengthened.
Systematic Review Registration:
PROSPERO CRD42019132179.
