Knowledge of preconception care among healthcare providers working in public health institutions in Hawassa, Ethiopia

Abstract

BackgroundPreconception care (PCC) is an evidence-based health promotion intervention to prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes. Nevertheless, it is one of the missing elements within the continuum of maternal and child healthcare. Despite the WHO’s recommendation, most of the developing countries have not yet started implementing preconception care.ObjectiveTo determine the knowledge level of healthcare providers about PCCand to identify predictors of effective knowledge of preconception care.MethodThis is a cross-sectional study conducted among 634 healthcare providers (HCP) working in public health institutions of Hawassa. A pilot-tested and validated self-administered survey tool was used to collect data from individual healthcare providers who were selected randomly using a multistage sampling technique. The data entry and analysis were conducted using SPSS version 20 software. Frequency, proportions, means and standard deviations were used to describe the data. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were implemented to determine the predictors of HCP’s PCC knowledge.ResultsOnly a few (31%) of the healthcare providers demonstrated a good level of knowledge on preconception care. The odds of having good PCC knowledge was high among HCPs working in hospitals (AOR = 1.8, 95% C.I. 1.3–2.6), HCPs using their smart phone to access clinical resources (AOR = 1.4, 95% C.I. 1.1–2.0), among those HCPs ever have read PCC guideline prepared by organization outside of Ethiopia (AOR = 1.9, 95% C.I. 1.4–2.7), among those who claimed practicing PCC (AOR = 3.4, 95% C.I. 2.0–5.9), and among those who earn salary of ≥ 146.0 $(AOR = 1.5, 95% C.I. 1.1–2.1).ConclusionThere is an unacceptably low level of knowledge about PCC among most of the healthcare providers in public health facilities in Ethiopia. The predictors identified in this study can be used to enhance the knowledge of healthcare providers about preconception care.

Knowledge of Preconception Care and Associated Factors among Healthcare Providers Working in Public Health Institutions in Awi Zone, North West Ethiopia, 2019: Institutional-Based Cross-Sectional Study

“…All healthcare providers who were available in Awi zone public health institutions during the study period were included, whereas healthcare providers who were physically and mentally ill at the time of data collection were excluded in the study. The sample size was determined by using factors of the knowledge of preconception care considering the following assumptions: 51.7% the proportion of healthcare providers of the previous study in Hawassa City [15] Administration, 80% power of study, p value = 0.001, and adjusted ratio = 1:8. Since the sampling procedure is multistage, the design effect was taken as 1.5 and 10% nonresponse.…”

“…Data was collected by using self-administered structured questionnaires adopted from different published articles and similar studies. The tools were categorized into four parts: sociodemographic factors with 10 items, knowledge-related questions with 18 items that was adapted from a previous study done in Hawassa [15], and actual and potential access to resources with 8 items. The questionnaire was translated into local language, Amharic, by experts and was translated back to English to ensure consistency and accuracy.…”

“…Healthcare providers have an obligation and take the leading place to update evidence-based clinical scenarios related to preconception care; doctors, nurses, and midwives need to have an updated knowledge to give PCC [1]. A systematic review study conducted in Europe [11] and crosssectional studies done in North Dakota (USA) [12], the United Kingdom [13], Egypt [14], and Ethiopia [15] showed that most of the healthcare providers wanted to give preconception care though they did not have enough knowledge for service provision.…”

Knowledge of Some Issues Related to Preconception Health and Pregnancy among Faculty of Nursing Students, Assiut University

“…Regarding marital status of students only 3.4% of them were married, this data disagreed with [6] who mentioned that more than one-fifth of the students were married. And nearly half (47.3%) of participants were married in [17], who performed their study in Hawassa, Ethiopia to assess knowledge of preconception health care among healthcare providers working in public health institutions. Variation between this study and [17] occurred related to difference in working status as the first participants were students and the second participant were employed that give them a chance to take a responsibility of marriage.…”

Knowledge, uptake of preconception care and associated factors among reproductive age group women in west shoa zone, Ethiopia, 2018.

“…Respondents who scored less than the 50th percentile or below the mean score were categorized as 'poor/low PCC knowledge'. Whereas, who scored b/n 50th percentile to 75th percentile and those who scored > 75th percentile were categorized as with 'medium' and 'high' PCC knowledge respectively (11,12).…”