Predictors of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Kangaroo Mother Care Among Mothers in a Ghanaian Tertiary Care Center.

Introduction

Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is one of the cost-effective interventions in low-resource settings for effective thermoregulation, supportive breastfeeding, and ensuring early hospital discharge of preterm and low birth weight babies. This study described the predictors of knowledge, attitude, and practice of KMC in a Tertiary Care Center in Ghana.

Methods

A cross-sectional design using an online survey was conducted. The convenience sampling method was employed to select 385 mothers. Logistic regression models and path models were used to determine the factors influencing the knowledge, attitude, and practice of KMC.

Results

The factors that predict a woman's knowledge of KMC are birthing a preterm or low birth weight baby, aged above 35 years, being a Christian, having health insurance, and giving birth at a health facility. The attitude of mothers toward KMC practice was significantly associated with education, ethnicity, health insurance, weight of newborn, and antenatal clinic (ANC) follow-up. Mothers who used the spontaneous vaginal delivery (SVD) type (aOR = 0.06, 95% CI: 0.01-0.28, p value = 0.001) are less likely to practice KMC than mothers who used the caesarean section (C/S) delivery type; however, mothers who used the SVD type and had health insurance (aOR = 16.02, 95% CI: 3.13-94.95, p value = 0.001) were more likely to practice KMC. Also, mothers who delivered at a private hospital (aOR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.18-0.97, p value = 0.039) and newborns with weights 1000-1499 g (aOR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.13-0.72, p value = 0.008) and 2000-2500 g (aOR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.13-0.70, p value = 0.006) were less likely to practice KMC. In addition, mothers who are not married (aOR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.10-3.49, p value = 0.025) are more likely to practice KMC.

Conclusion

Given that numerous factors influence practice (SVD, having health insurance, not birthing in a private facility, and having a normal birth weight baby) of KMC, promoting health insurance registration, increasing pregnancy safety leading to SVD, and fostering normal birth weight births can limit the need to use KMC. However, given the positive benefits of KMC, ensuring a positive attitude among community members is crucial to its adoption, should it be needed.