Knowledge, attitudes and practices of health care workers on management of severe acute malnutrition at Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi
Malnutrition is responsible for 35% of deaths among children under five years of age globally (Black et al., 2008). In 2013, an estimated 2.9 million children under-five were admitted globally for treatment of severe acute malnutrition (UNICEF, 2015). The 2015 Malawi annual SAM burden was estimated...
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2021
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| author | Chitete Ngoma, Lucy Lusekero |
| author_facet | Chitete Ngoma, Lucy Lusekero |
| author_sort | Chitete Ngoma, Lucy Lusekero |
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| description | Malnutrition is responsible for 35% of deaths among children under five years of age globally (Black et al., 2008). In 2013, an estimated 2.9 million children under-five were admitted globally for treatment of severe acute malnutrition (UNICEF, 2015). The 2015 Malawi annual SAM burden was estimated at about 79, 301 under five children (Kouam, 2016). The need for health care workers to have knowledge in management of severe acute malnutrition has been emphasized in many studies. Evidence has shown that health care workers’ knowledge in management of severe acute malnutrition promote good practices and positive attitudes which result in quality care hence decrease in mortality.
The aim of the study was to explore the knowledge, attitudes and practices of health care workers on management of severe acute malnourished children at Kamuzu Central Hospital. This was a cross sectional descriptive study. Participants were from the paediatric department. Simple random sampling was used to select 51participants for the study. A structured questionnaire and observation checklist were used to collect data. 9 observations were done on actual provision of care. Analysis was done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Findings on knowledge, attitudes and practices of health care workers were presented in descriptive form using tables, graphs, charts and percentages. Majority of the participants were females with a ratio of 4:1. High number of participants were in the age range of 25-34. Overall, 65% of health care workers had inadequate knowledge in management of severe acute malnutrition. 75% of health care workers had positive attitudes towards management of severe acute malnutrition. In practice, health care workers did not follow the recommended guidelines in management of severe acute malnutrition. Correlation between knowledge and practices as well as attitude and practices was not significant (p> 0.05). Shortage of staff, lack of resources, lack of adequate space and lack of in-service trainings in management of SAM were some of the challenges mentioned by most respondents. Health care workers did not have adequate knowledge in management of severe acute malnutrition which led to substandard care. The study recommended in-service trainings of health care workers in management of SAM. Training institutions should also strengthen the pre-service curriculum on managing children with severe acute malnutrition. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:nkhokwe.kuhes.ac.mw:20.500.12845-289 |
| institution | My University |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021 |
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| spelling | oai:nkhokwe.kuhes.ac.mw:20.500.12845-2892023-03-12T00:02:29Z Knowledge, attitudes and practices of health care workers on management of severe acute malnutrition at Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi Chitete Ngoma, Lucy Lusekero Malnutrition is responsible for 35% of deaths among children under five years of age globally (Black et al., 2008). In 2013, an estimated 2.9 million children under-five were admitted globally for treatment of severe acute malnutrition (UNICEF, 2015). The 2015 Malawi annual SAM burden was estimated at about 79, 301 under five children (Kouam, 2016). The need for health care workers to have knowledge in management of severe acute malnutrition has been emphasized in many studies. Evidence has shown that health care workers’ knowledge in management of severe acute malnutrition promote good practices and positive attitudes which result in quality care hence decrease in mortality. The aim of the study was to explore the knowledge, attitudes and practices of health care workers on management of severe acute malnourished children at Kamuzu Central Hospital. This was a cross sectional descriptive study. Participants were from the paediatric department. Simple random sampling was used to select 51participants for the study. A structured questionnaire and observation checklist were used to collect data. 9 observations were done on actual provision of care. Analysis was done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Findings on knowledge, attitudes and practices of health care workers were presented in descriptive form using tables, graphs, charts and percentages. Majority of the participants were females with a ratio of 4:1. High number of participants were in the age range of 25-34. Overall, 65% of health care workers had inadequate knowledge in management of severe acute malnutrition. 75% of health care workers had positive attitudes towards management of severe acute malnutrition. In practice, health care workers did not follow the recommended guidelines in management of severe acute malnutrition. Correlation between knowledge and practices as well as attitude and practices was not significant (p> 0.05). Shortage of staff, lack of resources, lack of adequate space and lack of in-service trainings in management of SAM were some of the challenges mentioned by most respondents. Health care workers did not have adequate knowledge in management of severe acute malnutrition which led to substandard care. The study recommended in-service trainings of health care workers in management of SAM. Training institutions should also strengthen the pre-service curriculum on managing children with severe acute malnutrition. 2021-08-19T14:17:24Z 2021-11-03T06:47:07Z 2021-08-19T14:17:24Z 2021-11-03T06:47:07Z 2018-04-01 Thesis http://nkhokwe.kuhes.ac.mw:8080/handle/20.500.12845/289 en application/pdf |
| spellingShingle | Chitete Ngoma, Lucy Lusekero Knowledge, attitudes and practices of health care workers on management of severe acute malnutrition at Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi |
| title | Knowledge, attitudes and practices of health care workers on management of severe acute malnutrition at Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi |
| title_full | Knowledge, attitudes and practices of health care workers on management of severe acute malnutrition at Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi |
| title_fullStr | Knowledge, attitudes and practices of health care workers on management of severe acute malnutrition at Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi |
| title_full_unstemmed | Knowledge, attitudes and practices of health care workers on management of severe acute malnutrition at Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi |
| title_short | Knowledge, attitudes and practices of health care workers on management of severe acute malnutrition at Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi |
| title_sort | knowledge, attitudes and practices of health care workers on management of severe acute malnutrition at kamuzu central hospital, lilongwe, malawi |
| url | http://nkhokwe.kuhes.ac.mw:8080/handle/20.500.12845/289 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT chitetengomalucylusekero knowledgeattitudesandpracticesofhealthcareworkersonmanagementofsevereacutemalnutritionatkamuzucentralhospitallilongwemalawi |