Session: Global Neonatal & Children's Health Works in Progress
WIP 60 - An Assessment of Maternal Recognition of Neonatal Sepsis Danger Signs following Implementation of Standardized Newborn Discharge Education in Western Uganda
Fellow Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine Charleston, South Carolina, United States
Background: Neonatal mortality remains a significant global burden with 2.5 million children dying each year in the first month of life, of whom an estimated 15-25% die from sepsis. Per UNICEF the Uganda neonatal mortality rate is 19 deaths per 1,000 births, higher than the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal of 12 deaths per 1,000 births. Recognition of neonatal sepsis warning signs by providers and by mothers is of key importance to ensure timely care-seeking and treatment. Studies in Uganda have shown that maternal ability to recognize danger signs of neonatal sepsis is poor; however, these did not assess effectiveness of danger sign teaching to mothers upon newborn discharge. Objective: To determine if implementing a discharge education program in the maternity ward in a Ugandan Hospital leads to improvement in mothers’ recognition of neonatal sepsis danger signs. Design/Methods: This project is a prospective, observational survey study to measure how maternal knowledge of neonatal sepsis danger signs changes in response to implementing standard discharge education with teaching in writing, picture, and verbal form. Medical University of South Carolina IRB, TASO Uganda, and Uganda National Council of Science and Technology ethical approvals were granted. Between December 2022 and December 2023, newborn mothers at Masindi Kitara Hospital in Western Uganda were surveyed on danger-sign knowledge three times: prior to a standardized discharge education program taught by nurse midwives, immediately following teaching, and at six weeks. Secondary objectives included preferred education medium, care-seeking behavior, and prior education. A control group of mothers who delivered outside of our hospital also completed the survey. Surveys were performed in English and Runyoro by a Ugandan research coordinator, and survey number is a convenience sample over one year. Data analysis includes quantitative paired t-test of pre- and post-education danger signs identified, two sample t-test between pre-education mothers and the control group means, and qualitative analysis of behavioral questions.
