Essential Newborn Care and Associated Factors Among Obstetrical Care Providers in Awi Zone Health Facilities, Northwest Ethiopia: An Institutional-Based Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Each year, millions of newborns die as a result of birth asphyxia, infections, and complications of preterm birth. This burden of death is disproportionately concentrated in low-income countries including Ethiopia. As a result, the care given immediately after birth is crucial for making a successful transition from intrauterine to extrauterine function and to reduce neonatal mortality. METHODS: Facility-based cross-sectional study design was carried out on a sample size of 208 obstetrical care providers. A simple random sampling technique was used to select the study subjects. The data were collected through Interview-administered questionnaires and observational checklists. The data were entered into Epi-info version 7 and exported to SPSS 23 for analysis. RESULTS: A total of 201 obstetric care providers participated in the study, making a response rate of (96.6%). This study revealed that 62.7% of obstetric care providers practiced essential newborn care properly. The factors significantly associated were received in-service training (AOR = 2.7, 95% CI: 1.35, 5.51), level of education (AOR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.22, 0.96), midwifery profession (AOR = 3.1, 95% CI: 1.35, 7.39), having good knowledge of essential newborn care (AOR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.03, 4.49), availability of drugs for essential newborn care (AOR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.16, 4.72), and availability of medical equipment to perform essential newborn care (AOR = 2, 95% CI: 1.01, 3.96). CONCLUSION: The practice of essential newborn care was generally low. Having in-service training, midwifery profession, a good knowledge of essential newborn care, availability of drugs, level of education, and availability of medical equipment for essential newborn care were the determinant factors for essential newborn care practice. Improvement in essential newborn care practices could be attained through modifiable proven interventions like provision of in-service training, availed drugs, and medical equipment for essential newborn care.