Health professionals’ knowledge and practice of essential newborn care at public health facilities in Bench-Sheko Zone, southwest Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Essential newborn care (ENC) is the most vital care, particularly during the first hour of the newborn's life. This study aimed to assess health professionals' knowledge and practice of ENC at public health facilities in the Bench-Sheko Zone, southwest Ethiopia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among health professionals at selected public health facilities in the Bench-Sheko Zone of southwest Ethiopia. The data were collected using a self-administered, tested, and structured questionnaire. The data collected were entered in Epi info version 7 and analyzed using SPSS version 22. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were performed to determine the association between the dependent and independent variables. Categorical variables were presented in tabulations by frequencies and percentages. Continuous data were summarized by the mean score and standard deviation. Statistical significance was set at a p-value < 0.05. RESULTS: Among the 157 respondents, 60 (38.2%) and 97 (61.8%) had good knowledge and good practice of ENC, respectively. The factors associated with good knowledge of ENC were being female (AOR = 0.72, 95% CI [0.48, 0.86]), the availability of on-the-job training (AOR = 2.00, 95% CI [1.01, 3.97]), and interest in working in the delivery room (AOR = 2.5, 95% CI [1.27, 4.94]). Better educational qualification (AOR = 4.12, 95% CI [1.67, 10.18]) and the availability of on-the-job training (AOR = 3.60, 95% CI [1.58, 8.18]) were the factors associated with good practice of ENC. CONCLUSION: Knowledge of essential newborn care among health professionals was very low; however, the practice of essential newborn care was somewhat average compared to other studies in Ethiopia. Being female, the availability of on-the-job training and interest in working in the delivery room were the factors associated with a good knowledge of ENC; while educational qualification and the availability of on-the-job training were the factors associated with a good practice of ENC. Therefore, concerned bodies should consider the provision of refreshment on-the-job training, upgrading the qualification of health professionals, and providing incentives and motivators to improve interest in working in the delivery room.