TY - JOUR
T1 - Improving hygiene in home deliveries in rural Ghana
T2 - How to build on current attitudes and practices
AU - Hill, Zelee
AU - Tawiah-Agyemang, Charlotte
AU - Okeyere, Eunice
AU - Manu, Alexander
AU - Fenty, Justin
AU - Kirkwood, Betty
PY - 2010/11
Y1 - 2010/11
N2 - Introduction: Clean delivery of newborns is a key intervention for reducing infection-related neonatal mortality. Understanding local practices and beliefs is important for designing appropriate interventions. There are few data from Africa. This study explored delivery practices in Ghana to identify behaviors for intervention and to determine behavioral influencers. Methods: Data on the prevalence of clean delivery behaviors, collected through a demographic surveillance system, were analyzed for 2631 women who delivered at home within a 1-year period. Qualitative data on delivery practices were collected through birth narratives, in-depth interviews, and focus groups with recently delivered/pregnant women, traditional birth attendants, grandmothers, and husbands. Results: Most women delivered on a covered surface (79%), had birth attendants who washed their hands (79%), cut the cord with a new blade (98%), and tied it with a new thread (90%). Eight percent of families practiced dry cord care. Families understood the importance of a clean delivery surface and many birth attendants knew the importance of hand-washing. Delivering on an uncovered surface was linked to impromptu deliveries and a belief that a swept floor is clean. Not washing hands was linked to rushing to help the woman, not being provided with soap, forgetfulness, and a belief among some that the babies are born dirty. The frequent application of products to the cord was nearly universal and respondents believed that applying nothing to the cord would have serious negative consequences. Conclusions: Delivery surfaces, hand-washing, and cord cutting and tying appear appropriate for the majority of women. Changing cord care practices is likely to be difficult unless replacement products are provided.
AB - Introduction: Clean delivery of newborns is a key intervention for reducing infection-related neonatal mortality. Understanding local practices and beliefs is important for designing appropriate interventions. There are few data from Africa. This study explored delivery practices in Ghana to identify behaviors for intervention and to determine behavioral influencers. Methods: Data on the prevalence of clean delivery behaviors, collected through a demographic surveillance system, were analyzed for 2631 women who delivered at home within a 1-year period. Qualitative data on delivery practices were collected through birth narratives, in-depth interviews, and focus groups with recently delivered/pregnant women, traditional birth attendants, grandmothers, and husbands. Results: Most women delivered on a covered surface (79%), had birth attendants who washed their hands (79%), cut the cord with a new blade (98%), and tied it with a new thread (90%). Eight percent of families practiced dry cord care. Families understood the importance of a clean delivery surface and many birth attendants knew the importance of hand-washing. Delivering on an uncovered surface was linked to impromptu deliveries and a belief that a swept floor is clean. Not washing hands was linked to rushing to help the woman, not being provided with soap, forgetfulness, and a belief among some that the babies are born dirty. The frequent application of products to the cord was nearly universal and respondents believed that applying nothing to the cord would have serious negative consequences. Conclusions: Delivery surfaces, hand-washing, and cord cutting and tying appear appropriate for the majority of women. Changing cord care practices is likely to be difficult unless replacement products are provided.
KW - Ghana
KW - Newborn
KW - clean delivery
KW - hand washing
KW - home visits
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=78149279868&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/INF.0b013e3181f5ddb1
DO - 10.1097/INF.0b013e3181f5ddb1
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:78149279868
SN - 0891-3668
VL - 29
SP - 1004
EP - 1008
JO - Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
JF - Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
IS - 11
ER -