UTILISATION OF WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION’S POSTNATAL CARE GUIDELINES AMONGST HEALTH WORKERS IN SELECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS IN IBADAN, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study assessed the knowledge and utilisation of the WHO’s guidelines amongst health care workers in selected local government areas of Ibadan, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional research design was adopted for the study. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 271 health workers in the seven local government areas (LGAs) of Ibadan from LGAs, Wards and Primary Health Care Centres. Data were collected using a pre-tested, self-administered questionnaire. Data obtained from the respondents were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 25) Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and inferential (Chi- square test) at p=0.05. Findings from the study revealed that 56.1% of the respondents had good knowledge of WHO’s post-natal care guidelines whilst only 26% had good utilisation score. The lowest average response occurred in utilisation of WHO postnatal care guidelines by respondents within the first week of birth (2.2±1.7) and highest responses occurred in health workers reinforcing exclusive breastfeeding, breast care and personal hygiene, checking the baby’s weight and examining the umbilical cord (3.5±1.2 each) six weeks postpartum. Barriers to utilisation of WHO’s postnatal guidelines reported by the respondents included inadequate personnel (84.5%), inadequate training on the utilisation of WHO guidelines (82.7%), poor funding of postnatal programmes (74.2%) and non-availability of the guidelines for practice (70.1%). Respondents who had good knowledge about WHO’s postnatal care guidelines also have good utilisation of the guidelines (69.0%) (p=0.011; p<0.05). The study showed that there was good knowledge and poor utilisation of WHO’s postnatal care guidelines amongst health workers due to inadequate training and non-availability of the guidelines for practice. Continuous training and capacity building should be ongoing to improve health workers’ knowledge and efficiency in the utilisation of the guidelines