Knowledge of Birth Preparedness and Complications Readiness: An Urban- Rural Comparison of Maternal and Child Health Clinic Attendees in Anambra State, Nigeria
U. M. Umeh *
Department of Community Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Awka, Nigeria
C. N. Onwasigwe
Department of Community Medicine, University of Nigeria, Ituku - Ozalla, Enugu, Nigeria
E. D. Adinma
Department of Community Medicine and Primary Health Care, College of Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria
C. C. Nnebue
Department of Community Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria and Department of HIV Care, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Birth preparedness and complications readiness (BP/CR) remains a key component of safe motherhood programs, articulated to help improve maternal and child health care. This study determined and compared the knowledge of BP/CR among maternal and child health (MCH) clinic attendees in urban and rural areas of Anambra State, Nigeria.
Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive cross sectional comparative study of knowledge of BP/CR among 707 MCH clinic attendees in urban- rural areas of Anambra State, selected by multi-stage sampling technique conducted between January and May 2014. Data were collected using a pre-tested, semi-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 22. Descriptive data were presented as tables and charts, while associations between variables were determined using chi square test for proportions and Z-test for means. Level of significance was set at p-values 0.05.
Results: Mean ages of respondents were 28. (±5.2) for urban and 29.1(±5.9) for rural. Majority of respondents (54.5%) in the urban, compared to (50.4%) in the rural had fair knowledge of BP (p= 0.109). Also, more respondents (59.5%) in urban and (62.1%) in rural had poor knowledge of CR (p =0.005). Bleeding was the most reported danger sign of pregnancy (73.6% for urban, and 85.2% for rural respondents).
Conclusions: Our study findings showed an overall fair knowledge of BP/CR though better in urban than rural. .Appropriate interventions should be scaled up to improve the knowledge of the women concerning BP/CR.
Keywords: Knowledge, birth preparedness, complication readiness, maternal and child health clinic attendees