KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND PRACTICE OF MOTHERS ON NEWBORN CORD CARE AT UGBOR PRIMARY HEALTH CARE CENTRE, BENIN CITY

Abstract

This study examined the knowledge, attitude, and practice of mothers regarding newborn umbilical cord care at Ugbor Primary Health Care Center in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. The objective of the study was to assess mothers’ level of knowledge, determine their attitudes, and identify the cord care practices they adopt. A descriptive cross-sectional research design was used for the study. The population consisted of mothers attending postnatal and child welfare clinics, with a sample size of 61 respondents selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using frequencies, percentages, and Chi-square test. The findings showed that the majority of mothers had good knowledge of cord care, with 90.2% knowing that the cord should be kept clean and dry and 88.5% aware that cord infection can endanger the newborn’s life. However, awareness of chlorhexidine use was lower (63.9%). The study also revealed that most mothers had a positive attitude towards recommended cord care practices, as many agreed that proper cord care is important and were willing to follow health workers’ instructions. In terms of practice, most mothers demonstrated good cord care behaviors such as keeping the cord clean and dry (62.3%) and seeking medical care when signs of infection were noticed (67.2%), although some still practiced unsafe methods. The study concluded that there is a significant relationship between mothers’ knowledge, attitude, and practice of cord care, but gaps still exist between knowledge and actual practice. It is therefore recommended that health education should be strengthened with practical demonstrations and community involvement to improve safe cord care practices. Keywords: Umbilical cord care, Knowledge, Attitude, Practice, Mothers, Newborn, Chlorhexidine, Primary Health Care.

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urn:uuid:0ea48b75-3338-445c-81d9-f016a85a196a