Parents’ Knowledge of Neonatal Danger Signs and Associated Factors at Health Centers in Kigali, Rwanda

Abstract

Background Globally, nearly half of all under-five deaths occur during the neonatal period. About two million dies within the first week, of which 75% come from low-resource countries, such as Rwanda. Many neonatal deaths are preventable or avoidable if parents are knowledgeable of Neonatal Danger Signs (NDS), and do not delay seeking care at a health facility. Objective To assess the parents’ knowledge of NDS and associated factors within the neonatal period at four health centers in Kigali. Method This study was a descriptive cross-sectional design. A proportionate stratified probability sampling strategy was used to select 209 parents who attended selected health centers in Kigali. Data analysis used descriptive and inferential statistics. Results The findings showed that 67% of participants had some information on NDS. Logistic regression showed that educational level, parity, number of antenatal visits, and information from healthcare providers was significantly associated with parents' knowledge of NDS. Conclusion Our findings indicate the need to enhance education of parents’ knowledge of NDS in the study population. Educational efforts also should target NDS in health centers where most Rwandan women attend antenatal care.