Level of Healthcare Providers' Preconception Care (PCC) Practice and Factors Associated with Non-Implementation of PCC in Hawassa, Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Healthcare providers (HCPs) are at the forefront of screening and identifying preconception risk factors leading to adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs). In Ethiopia, there is no published study that assessed the status of the implementation of PCC. This is a study conducted with the aim of determining the level of HCP's PCC practice and factors associated with non-implementation of PCC. METHODS: This institution based cross-sectional study conducted among HCPs working in public health institutions (PHI) of Hawassa. The data was collected using a validated instrument called ‘Andarg-Ethio PCC-KAPQuestionnaire’. A ltistage sampling was applied to draw a sample of 634 HCPs. The data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 20. Descriptive statistics and binary as well as multiple logistic regression analysis models were used to determine the cruds and adjusted odds ratios. RESULTS: Out of the total study participants, 84.7%(537) were found not totally practising PCC. Those HCPs who do not screen their clients' reproductive life plan (RPL) had 7 times higher odds of not practising PCC (AOR=7.2 95% C.I. 3.6 – 14.5), whereas those HCPs with poor PCC knowledge had 4 times higher odds of not practising PCC (AOR= 4.4, 95% C.I. 2.5–7.6). CONCLUSION: The findings of this study demonstrated the absence of standardized and consistent PCC practice which indicates that PCC is not well introduced to the area. Developing of PCC policy and guidelines plus training of HCPs are recommended.