What do husbands know about neonatal danger signs? A cross-sectional study in Dessie City, Northeast Ethiopia
Objective This study assessed husbands’ knowledge of neonatal danger signs in Dessie City, Northeast Ethiopia, focusing on fathers of infants born within the preceding 6 months (2023).Design Community-based cross-sectional study.Setting Dessie City, Northeast Ethiopia.Participants We systematically...
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BMJ Publishing Group
2025-07-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/7/e096513.full |
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| author | Asnakew Molla Mekonen Mastewal Arefaynie Yawkal Tsega Amare Zeleke Endalkachew Mesfin Gebeyehu |
| author_facet | Asnakew Molla Mekonen Mastewal Arefaynie Yawkal Tsega Amare Zeleke Endalkachew Mesfin Gebeyehu |
| author_sort | Asnakew Molla Mekonen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective This study assessed husbands’ knowledge of neonatal danger signs in Dessie City, Northeast Ethiopia, focusing on fathers of infants born within the preceding 6 months (2023).Design Community-based cross-sectional study.Setting Dessie City, Northeast Ethiopia.Participants We systematically selected 613 husbands of postpartum women (sampling period: December 15, 2022,–January 15, 2023).Methods Data were collected via structured questionnaires, entered into EpiData (v4.6) and analysed using SPSS (v26). Binary logistic regression identified factors associated with knowledge; statistical significance was set at p<0.05 in the multivariable analysis.Results Among the 613 respondents, slightly over half (53%, n=325) demonstrated good knowledge of neonatal danger signs. Several factors were significantly associated with higher knowledge levels. Husbands residing in urban areas were nearly seven times more likely to have good knowledge compared with their rural counterparts (adjusted OR (AOR)=6.93; 95% CI, 3.23 to 14.90). Educational attainment also played a critical role: those with primary education or higher had 6.44 times higher odds of good knowledge than those with no formal schooling (95% CI, 1.83 to 22.61). Parity was another predictor, with fathers of 2–4 children showing markedly greater knowledge (AOR=10.39; 95% CI, 4.68 to 23.05) than those with only one child. Most notably, receiving information from health professionals had the strongest association—respondents who accessed such guidance were 11 times more likely to be knowledgeable (AOR=11.05; 95% CI, 5.46 to 22.36).Conclusions Nearly half of the participants lacked adequate knowledge. Thus, integrating targeted health education into maternal and child health programmes could improve awareness and neonatal outcomes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c7b018239ccc4c2982ebe2b657ce6f80 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
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| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-c7b018239ccc4c2982ebe2b657ce6f802025-08-20T02:38:50ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552025-07-0115710.1136/bmjopen-2024-096513What do husbands know about neonatal danger signs? A cross-sectional study in Dessie City, Northeast EthiopiaAsnakew Molla Mekonen0Mastewal Arefaynie1Yawkal Tsega2Amare Zeleke3Endalkachew Mesfin Gebeyehu4Department of Reproductive and Family Health, Wollo University, Dessie, EthiopiaWollo University, Dessie, EthiopiaDepartment of Health System Management, Wollo University, Dessie, Amhara, EthiopiaDepartment of Health System Management, Wollo University, Dessie, EthiopiaHealth System Managment, Wollo University, Dessie, Amhara, EthiopiaObjective This study assessed husbands’ knowledge of neonatal danger signs in Dessie City, Northeast Ethiopia, focusing on fathers of infants born within the preceding 6 months (2023).Design Community-based cross-sectional study.Setting Dessie City, Northeast Ethiopia.Participants We systematically selected 613 husbands of postpartum women (sampling period: December 15, 2022,–January 15, 2023).Methods Data were collected via structured questionnaires, entered into EpiData (v4.6) and analysed using SPSS (v26). Binary logistic regression identified factors associated with knowledge; statistical significance was set at p<0.05 in the multivariable analysis.Results Among the 613 respondents, slightly over half (53%, n=325) demonstrated good knowledge of neonatal danger signs. Several factors were significantly associated with higher knowledge levels. Husbands residing in urban areas were nearly seven times more likely to have good knowledge compared with their rural counterparts (adjusted OR (AOR)=6.93; 95% CI, 3.23 to 14.90). Educational attainment also played a critical role: those with primary education or higher had 6.44 times higher odds of good knowledge than those with no formal schooling (95% CI, 1.83 to 22.61). Parity was another predictor, with fathers of 2–4 children showing markedly greater knowledge (AOR=10.39; 95% CI, 4.68 to 23.05) than those with only one child. Most notably, receiving information from health professionals had the strongest association—respondents who accessed such guidance were 11 times more likely to be knowledgeable (AOR=11.05; 95% CI, 5.46 to 22.36).Conclusions Nearly half of the participants lacked adequate knowledge. Thus, integrating targeted health education into maternal and child health programmes could improve awareness and neonatal outcomes.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/7/e096513.full |
| spellingShingle | Asnakew Molla Mekonen Mastewal Arefaynie Yawkal Tsega Amare Zeleke Endalkachew Mesfin Gebeyehu What do husbands know about neonatal danger signs? A cross-sectional study in Dessie City, Northeast Ethiopia BMJ Open |
| title | What do husbands know about neonatal danger signs? A cross-sectional study in Dessie City, Northeast Ethiopia |
| title_full | What do husbands know about neonatal danger signs? A cross-sectional study in Dessie City, Northeast Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | What do husbands know about neonatal danger signs? A cross-sectional study in Dessie City, Northeast Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | What do husbands know about neonatal danger signs? A cross-sectional study in Dessie City, Northeast Ethiopia |
| title_short | What do husbands know about neonatal danger signs? A cross-sectional study in Dessie City, Northeast Ethiopia |
| title_sort | what do husbands know about neonatal danger signs a cross sectional study in dessie city northeast ethiopia |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/7/e096513.full |
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