A study to evaluate the knowledge of postnatal care among accredited social health activist workers in North Indian rural area

Authors

  • Anuradha . CHC Basohli, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
  • Harleen . Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, SMGS and Government Medical College, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
  • Tarini Singh Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, SMGS and Government Medical College, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
  • Debkalyan Maji Command Hospital (EC), Kolkata, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20220163

Keywords:

Postnatal care, ASHA, North India

Abstract

Background: ASHA (accredited social health activist) are the grass root level workers. Hence it is essential to study if they have adequate knowledge for delivering maternal health care services to community. The aim was to evaluate the knowledge of postnatal care among ASHA workers in North Indian rural area.

Methods: This study was conducted at Basohli block of Kathua district from December 2019 to December 2020. Information was collected from ASHAs by interview technique.

Results: 83.70% of ASHAs believed that colostrum should be given to newborn. 88.04% agreed for exclusive breast feeding for 6 months. 61.96% were in favor of more than 3 postnatal visits within 42 days of delivery. Many of them were aware of dangerous sign of postnatal mother and newborn. They were ignorant of postnatal exercises. All the ASHA were aware of purpose of immunization but only 21 knew the immunization schedule completely. All were aware of most of the available family planning methods that can be used by postnatal women.

Conclusions: It is evident from the present study that ASHA workers have good knowledge of maximum aspects of postnatal care. Further training of the ASHA should be skill based and efforts should be made to remove the obstacles they are facing.

References

Dana A, Noreen G, German R. Utilization of care during pregnancy in rural Guatemala: does obstetrical need matter? Soc Sci Med. 2003;57(12):2447-63.

World Health Organization. Facts and figures from the World health report make every mother and child count, world health day. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2005.

USA world population reference bureau. Trends in maternal mortality; 2000 to 2017; estimates by WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank Group and the United Nations population Division Geneva: World Health Organization; 2019.

UNICEF. Fact sheet: Saving the lives of the world’s women, newborns and children, 2010. Available at: http://www.childinfo.org/files/CountdownReport2000-2010.pdf. Accessed on 23 December 2021.

WHO. Fact sheet: Technical consultation on postnatal and postpartum care. Available at: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/2010WHO_MPS_10.03_eng.pdf. Accessed on 23 December 2021.

WHO. Maternal Mortality. WHO news fact sheet. 2015.

DeBernis L, Abouzahr CS, Lerberghe WV. Skilled attendants for pregnancy, child brith and postnatal care, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland. Br Med Bull. 2003;67:39-57.

Shashank KJ, Angadi M. A study to evaluate the knowledge of ASHA workers on antenatal and postnatal care in Bijapur district. Int J Res Med Sci. 2015;3(9):2299-2302.

Verma H, Sagili KD, Zachariah R, Aggarwal A, Dongre A, Gupte H. Do incentivized community workers in informal settlements influence maternal and infant health in urban India? Public Health Action. 2017;7(1):61-6.

Garg P, Bhardwaj A, Singh A, Ahluwalia S. An evaluation of ASHA worker’s awareness and practice of their responsibilities in rural Haryana. Natl J Commun Med. 2013;4(1):76-80.

Reddy N, Kishore S, Viswanatha P, Ranganath T, Shanmugapriya D. A study to assess the knowledge and utilization of Janani Suraksha Yojana among postnatal mothers attending the urban health centre of Bangalore medical college and research institute. Int J Commun Med Pub Health. 2016;3(2):512-6.

Ahmad N, Khanna A, Kumari R, Singh MK, Singh JV. Factors influencing utilization of ASHA services under NRHM in relation to maternal health in rural Lucknow. Indian J Commun Med. 2010;35(3):414-9.

Roy P, Mohan U, Shivendra K, Vijay K, Srivastava AK. Determinants of utilization of antenatal care services in rural Lucknow. J Family Med Prim Care. 2013;2(1):55-9.

Kumar S, Garg R, Roy R. Health services rendered through ASHA to rural utter Pradesh, India community perception. Int J Commun Med Public Health. 2017;9(7):622-9.

Vimarhs consultancy group. Evaluation of ASHA scheme under NRHM in Uttar Pradesh Lucknow. SIFPSA; 2013: 161.

Sexena V, Kumari R. Infant and yound child feeding knowledge and practices of ASHA workers of Doiwala Block, Dehradun District. Indian J Commun Health. 2014;26(1):68-75.

Koris S, Bhatia M, Mishra A. A cross sectional assessment of knowledge of ASHA workers. J Krishna Inst Med Sci. 2015;4(4)57-63.

Bansal SC, Nimbalkar SM, Shah NA, Shrivastav RS, Phatak AG. Evaluation of knowledge and skill of home based new born care among ASHA. Indian Pediat. 2016;53(8):689-91.

Ratnam AL, Kumaran JA. Awareness of family planny services among ASHA worker in a municipality of Northern Kerela. Int J Comm Med Pub Health. 2018;5(8):3412-7.

Downloads

Published

2022-01-28

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles