Abstract:

Background: Low birth weight (LBW) affects roughly 15% of infants worldwide due to preterm birth, intrauterine growth retardation, or both. Studies have shown that LBW infants account for about 60 to 80% of neonatal fatalities. Every year, 25 million LBW babies are born worldwide, with the vast majority coming from developing countries, including Tanzania. Cost-effective interventions such as Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) can significantly reduce the number of neonatal deaths and are deemed necessary in resource-limited settings. Thus, appropriate knowledge, attitude, and practice of nursing mothers towards KMC are crucial for better implementation of KMC and clinical outcomes of babies. However, limited studies have investigated the knowledge, attitude, and practice of nursing mothers with LBW babies toward KMC in Tanzania.

Objective: This study aimed at assessing the knowledge, attitude, and practice of KMC among nursing mothers with LBW babies at Sengerema district hospital.

Methodology: A cross-sectional hospital-based study was conducted among 125 post-natal mothers with LBW babies practicing KMC at the neonatal unit in Sengerema Hospital. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data and assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practice toward KMC. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed using SPSS version 20 software to identify the factors associated with knowledge, attitude and practice.

Results: Based on this finding, the overall proportion of good knowledge, favorable attitude and good practice of kangaroo mother care were 29.6%, 81.6% and 75% respectively with 100% response rate. Educational status (AOR; 3.70; 95%CL; (1.39-20.47), residency (AOR;7.58;95%CL; (2.39-23.90), income (AOR;3.70;95%CL;(1.17-11.67), health condition of the baby (AOR;6.76 95%CL;(2.74-16.69), source of information (AOR;2.71;95%CL;(1.01-7.23), gravidity (AOR;2.61;95% CL;(1.20-5.67) as well as mode of delivery (AOR;3.05,95% CL;(1.54-6.04) were statistically significant factors for knowledge, attitude and practice of mothers on kangaroo mother care.

Conclusion: Overall, knowledge about KMC is low among new mothers of infants with LBW. However, most had a favorable attitude and good practice of KMC. To improve outcomes, KMC education needs to target rural areas, with families of lower socio-economic status. Information provided by health providers as well as through mass media has the largest impact on knowledge, and would be important strategies to address in future education interventions.