ABSTRACT: Background: Ghana is among countries with a high maternal mortality rate. Every pregnant woman is at risk of developing pregnancy related complication. It is not understood if and how the information and education on danger signs of pregnancy; translate into appropriate actions when a woman experiences a danger sign. …
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ABSTRACT: Background: Ghana is among countries with a high maternal mortality rate. Every pregnant woman is at risk of developing pregnancy related complication. It is not understood if and how the information and education on danger signs of pregnancy; translate into appropriate actions when a woman experiences a danger sign. Knowledge and recognition of danger signs during pregnancy would result in timely emergency obstetric care. Objectives: This study aimed at assessing the Knowledge and attitude of Pregnancy Danger Signs among Pregnant Mothers Attending ANC in Sunyani Municipal Hospital Results: Of the 384 women were interviewed, 95 percent had attended ANC at least once and 59 percent made four or more visits. Mean age was 26.8 and majority had two or more children. Knowledge of danger signs was low (31%); commonly mentioned danger signs were vaginal bleeding (81.2%), swelling of fingers, face and legs (46.3%) and severe headache with blurred vision (43.6%). In bivariate analysis age, education and occupation were associated with knowledge on danger signs during pregnancy (P≤0.05). In multivariate logistic regression, age and occupation were statistically significant associated with knowledge on danger signs. Having older age was eight times more likely (OR 8.1; CI 1.6-42 to have knowledge on danger signs compared to young ones (≤20 years); self-employed women were two times more likely (OR=1.9; CI; 1.1-3.3) to have knowledge on danger signs compared to being employed. Of the 69 women who reported a danger sign in the last pregnancy, 75 percent took appropriate health seeking action. However, attendance of health facility for care was significantly related to knowledge only for difficulty in breathing (P=0.023) and swelling of fingers, face and legs (P= 0.035). It was established that knowledge on danger signs did not significantly relate to appropriate actions taken when the women experienced danger signs. Conclusion: Knowledge on danger signs during pregnancy is low. Appropriate health care seeking actions were observed among women who had fever and difficulty in breathing for those who had experienced danger signs. Knowledge of danger sign during pregnancy was not translated into appropriate actions. Recommendations: The quality of ANC care particularly health education should be evaluated. Further studies are recommended to address the knowledge gap and to understand why knowledge was not positively translated into actions regarding experiencing danger signs during pregnancy. Community based projects should be initiated to provide childbearing health education.TABLE OF CONTENTDECLARATIONABSTRACTDEDICATIONAKNOWLEDGEMENTLIST OF ABBREVIATIONSTABLE OF CONTENTLIST OF FIGURESLIST OF TABLESCHAPTER ONE1.0 INTRODUCTION1.1. Background to the Study1.2. Problem Statement1.3. Justification of the Study1.4. Research Questions1.5. Objectives of the Study1.5.1. General Objectives1.6. Significance of the Study1.7 Scope of the Study1.8 Delimitations1.9. Organization of ChaptersCHAPTER TWO2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW2.1. Overview2.3 Health Seeking Actions2.4 Conceptual Framework2.5. The Danger Signs2.6. Empirical StudiesCHAPTER THREE3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY3.1. Background of the Study Area3.2. Study Design and Type3.3. Study Population3.4. Sampling Technique and Sample Size3.5. Study Variables3.5.1 Dependent Variable3.5.2. Independent Variable3.6 Pretesting3.7. Data Collection Tool and Technique3.8. Data Analysis3.9. Limitation3.10. Ethical Consideration3.10.1. Ethical Clearance:3.10.2. Informed Consent:3.10.3. Voluntary Nature of Participation:3.10.4. Confidentiality3.10.5. Risks and Benefits3.10.6. CompensationCHAPTER FOUR4.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION OF THE STUDY4.1 RESULTS4.1.1 Socio-demographic and Reproductive characteristics4.1.2 Knowledge on danger signs during pregnancy4.1.3 The relationship between socio-demographic and reproductive characteristics with knowledge4.1.6 Health seeking actions on danger signs during pregnancy4.1.7 The relationship between Knowledge and Health seeking actions4.2 DISCUSSION4.2 Knowledge on danger signs during pregnancy4.3 Association between knowledge and socio-demographic characteristics4.4 Health seeking actions after experiencing a danger sign4.5 Association between knowledge and health seeking actionCHAPTER FIVECONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS5.1 CONCLUSION5.2 RECOMMENDATIONSREFERENCEAPPENDIXQUESTIONNAIRE
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