Evidence-Based Intrapartum Practice and Associated Factors Among Obstetric Care Providers Working in Public Hospitals of South Wollo Zone North-Central Ethiopia: An Institutional-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background Even though recent progress, Ethiopia continues to be one of the most significant contributors to the worldwide burden of maternal mortality. Evidence-based intrapartum practices have significant value to improve the health outcome of the mother and the neonate. However, in Ethiopia, it is not exercised according to the standard. Assessing the proportion of evidence-based intrapartum practice and predictors is essential and vital to providing better-quality care to laboring mothers. Hence, this study was aimed to assess the magnitude of evidence-based intrapartum practice and predictors among obstetric care providers working in public hospitals in South Wollo zone, North-central Ethiopia. Patient and Methods An institutional-based cross-sectional study was employed among 398 obstetric care providers from February 1 to April 30, 2021. Study participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Both a structured questionnaire and an observational checklist were used to collect the data. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression was done to determine predictors associated with evidence-based intrapartum practice and P-value <0.05 at 95% CI was declared as statistically significant. Results The overall magnitude of evidence-based intrapartum care was 54.7% [95% CI (49.6–59.7%)]. Knowledge [AOR = 2.1; 95% CI (1.30–3.38)], computer access [AOR = 2.04; 95% CI (1.27–3.27)], work experience [AOR= 2.13; 95% CI (1.21–3.73)] and training [AOR = 1.81; 95% CI (1.12–2.93)] were found to be statistically significant with evidence-based intrapartum practice. Conclusion We found that only half of the obstetric care providers applied evidence-based intrapartum practice. Increasing knowledge of intrapartum care, providing continuous training, making the working environment safe to handle experienced providers, and easily access computers in the workplace will be needed to maximize the practice of evidence-based intrapartum care and scale up the quality of care.

Evidence-based intrapartum care practice and its associated factors among obstetric care providers working in hospitals of the four Wollega Zones, Oromia Region, West Ethiopia, 2022

“…This finding is consistent with a cross-sectional study conducted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (24). It is also supported by most recent study conducted in south wollo zone of Ethiopia (23). Another multi-institutional study done in United States also showed that health practitioners who had adequate knowledge was statistically associated with evidence based practice (30).…”

“…The finding revealed that the overall magnitude was 63.7%. This figure is higher than previous studies conducted in Ethiopia, in referral hospitals of Amhara regional state (38.2%) (22), in public hospitals of Addis Ababa (51%) (24) and in public hospitals of South Wollo zone (54.7%) (23). This discrepancy might be due to a difference in the number of hospitals and sample size difference.…”

“…It is a set of standard activities recommended by WHO and national protocols that are expected to be performed by obstetric care providers during intrapartum care. Obstetrics care providers who scored greater than or equal to the mean value of intrapartum-practice-related observational checklists (8, 23, 24).…”

“…Obstetric care providers who scored greater than or equal to the mean value of knowledge-related questions were considered as having a good knowledge while obstetric care providers who scored less than the mean value were considered as having poor knowledge (23, 24).…”

“…Those obstetric care providers who scored greater than or equal to the mean value of attitude related questions of intrapartum practice were labelled as having a positive attitude, whereas obstetric care providers who scored less than the mean values were considered as negative attitude (23, 24).…”