title: Knowledge of Maternal and Newborn Care Among Primary Level Health Workers in Kapilvastu District of Nepal.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Higher maternal and neonatal deaths are common in low- and middle-income countries; due to less access to skilled help. Adequate knowledge and skills on maternal and newborn care (MNC) of community health workers can improve maternal and newborn health.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify the knowledge of primary level health workers on some components of MNC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Respondents were selected using simple random sampling method. For collecting the data, enumerators visited health institutions for 2 months from 1(st) October to 31(st) November 2012, and structured interview schedule was used to gather the information. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a total of one hundred and thirty-seven primary level health workers in Kapilvastu district, Nepal. The Chi-square test was employed to examine the association between the knowledge of health workers on MNC and designation and work experience. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 17.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In a total of 137 primary level health workers, more than half 53.2% (73/137) were senior auxiliary health workers/health assistant. Health workers having correct knowledge on contents of MNC were-registration 32.1% (44/137), major components of antenatal care 57.7% (79/137), danger signs of pregnancy 39.4% (54/137), five cleans 59.1% (81/137), postnatal health problems 54.0% (74/137), majority to health action to newborn care, newborn bath and meaning of exclusive breastfeeding. There was a statistical association between designation of health workers and above-mentioned components of MNC (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The differentials in the knowledge of MNC among primary level health suggest improving knowledge of the grass root level health workers with appropriate training and development programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Sanjeevani College of Medical Sciences, Purbanchal University, Butwal, Rupandehi, Nepal.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Acharya
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paudel
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Sanjeevani College of Medical Sciences, Purbanchal University, Butwal, Rupandehi, Nepal.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gautam
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Sanjeevani College of Medical Sciences, Purbanchal University, Butwal, Rupandehi, Nepal.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gautam
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Finance, Department of Inland Revenue, Taxpair Service Office, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Upadhyaya
keywords: Knowledge; Maternal and newborn care; Primary level health workers