Knowledge, needs and related factors of newborn care among postnatal mothers before discharge

Aim: This descriptive study was performed to determine the knowledge, needs and related factors of postpartum women about newborn care before their discharge from hospital. Methods: The study was carried on 288 postpartum women accepting to participate in the study between 01 April and 01 August 2017. Data was gathered along with “Knowledge and Needs Scale of Postpartum Women about Newborn Care”, created by the researchers in light of the literature. Data was represented by the percentage frequencies and the mean knowledge score was calculated. Obtained data was analyzed with percentage, mean, t test, One- way ANOVA and regression analysis. Results: Of all the participants, the average age was 28.2± 6.4, while 52.4% of them was primary school graduates, 79.2% housewives and 39.6% primipara, respectively. Seventy-six percent of the women were followed in a health center and 21.9% received education regarding infant care in a health care center. Ten-point eight percent of the women thought that they would have trouble in caring their infants. Of all the women, 20%, 6% and 5% wanted to get informed regardingthe issues of breastfeeding, bathing and coping with colic respectively. The mean score for knowledge of newborn care was 71.7± 1.8 (range: 0- 100). The women got the highest mean knowledge score for neonatal danger sings and the lowest mean knowledge score for newborn nutrition. Number of children and education were found to have a significant effect on knowledge of newbron care (p<0.05). Conclusion: The postpartum women included in the study had sufficient knowledge about newborn care. Number of children and education were effective in this knowledge. The women needed information about newborn nutrition the most