Practice of essential newborn care and associated factors among obstetric care providers in rural health centers of Hadiya zone, central Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Essential newborn care (ENBC) practice is an ideal strategy to improve the health status of newborns and avert neonatal deaths. Usually, ENBC is given by health professionals attending labor, delivery, and postnatal care. However, evidence about the level of practice and contributing factors among health professionals working at rural health centers is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the practice of ENBC and associated factors among obstetric care providers in rural health centers of the Hadiya zone, Central Ethiopia. METHODS: A health facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 301 health professionals who were working at rural health centers in the Hadiya zone. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. The study participants who scored above the median value for the aggregate of 12-item ENBC practices recommended by the World Health Organization were reported as having good practices. A multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to identify factors contributing to the good practice, using an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: Of the 301 health professionals, 142 [47.2%] of them demonstrated a good practice of ENBC, with a 95% CI [41.1, 53.0%]. Health professionals who have a degree and above level of education [AOR = 2.46, 95% CI: 1.11, 5.46], five or more years of work experience [AOR = 5.12, 95% CI: 2.53, 10.35], an interest to work in labor, delivery, and postnatal care units [AOR = 2.34, 95% CI: 1.13, 4.88], training on ENBC [AOR = 2.42, 95% CI: 1.17, 4.99], and are midwifery professionals [AOR = 5.0, 95% CI: 2.13, 11.11] were significant factors contributing to the good practice of ENBC. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly half of health professionals working at labor, delivery, and postnatal care units of rural health centers demonstrated a good practice of ENBC. The finding suggests a still ample number of newborns were not receiving essential care that they need after birth, which may challenge achieving the sustainable development goal set to reduce neonatal mortality. Hence, health managers and stakeholders should strengthen capacity-building trainings and educational opportunities for lower-level obstetric care providers and increase midwifery professionals in the rural health centers.