ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT DANGER SIGNS OF OBSTETRIC COMPLICATIONS AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG POSTNATAL MOTHERS OF FELEGE HIWOT REFERRAL HOSPITAL, NORTH WEST, ETHIOPIA, 2015

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Globally, an estimated 289,000 of maternal death occurred in 2013 only. Developing countries like Ethiopia contribute the highest level of maternal mortality due to direct or indirect obstetric complications. Women awareness of obstetric danger sign to recognize those complications early to seek medical care without delay is first to intervene in an effort to decrease maternal death. However; little data is found on knowledge of mothers about danger signs of obstetric complications in Ethiopia. Objective: To assess knowledge about danger signs of obstetric complications and associated factors among postnatal mothers at Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study that involved an exit interview was conducted from June to September 2015 in Felege Hiwot referral hospital. Systematic random sampling technique was used to select 410 study participants. Data were entered to EPI-INFO (3.5.1) and exported to SPSS (20) for further analysis. Logistic Regression was applied to identify association between explanatory variable and the outcome variable. Odds ratio with 95% Confidence interval was used to determine the presence and strength of association. Results: The proportion of mothers’ who were knowledgeable about danger signs of obstetric complications in this study was 59.0%. Maternal educational level above secondary (AOR=6.91, 95%CI(1.62,19.53), family monthly income >3500 (AOR=3.38,95%CI(1.20,13.96) , discussing health Issues with health extension workers (AOR=4.23, 95%CI( 1.83,9.70) and decision making power for service utilization(AOR= 0.14 , 95%CI(0.07,0.27) were variables found to be significantly associated with women knowledge on danger signs of obstetric complications. Conclusion and Recommendations: Significant proportion of respondents were not knowledgeable about danger signs of obstetrics complication and factors like educational status, monthly income ,decision making power and discuss health issue with HEW were found to be associated. So a call for concerned body to improve women knowledge by designing strategic plan targeting information, education and communications provision to women during each period of pregnancy state and facilitate income generating mechanisms was recommended