The knowledge of postpartum haemorrhage among midwives working in the maternity departments of Windhoek central and Katutura state hospitals in Namibia

Date
2020-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY : Background: Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) remains the leading direct cause of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide, with the highest maternal deaths occurring in developing countries. The researcher believed that the presence of a midwife with sufficient knowledge about PPH at every birth, could contribute to decrease the high number maternal deaths caused by PPH. For the purpose of this study, an investigation to determine if midwives working in the maternity departments of Windhoek Central and Katutura state hospitals in Namibia have knowledge about assessing, diagnosing, preventing and managing PPH was therefore carried out. In addition to the objectives, the study was to determine associations between the biographical data and the knowledge scores of the registered midwives and enrolled midwives. Methods: A quantitative descriptive design was applied in the study. The total population was 127 midwives. However, only 93 midwives were available and consented to participate. A self-administered validated questionnaire was developed to specifically investigate the midwives’ knowledge about PPH. The pilot study was conducted to support the reliability and validity of the methodology of the study including the instrument. In addition, the researcher observed face, construct and content validity throughout the research process. The researcher collected all the data. Ninety-three participants participated in the study and completed the questionnaires in the researcher’s presence. Ethical considerations of right to self- determination, right to confidentiality and anonymity as well as right to protection from discomfort and harm were all observed during data collection. Ethics approval was obtained from the Health Research Ethics Committee of Stellenbosch University (S19/08/167). In addition, ethics approval was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee of the Ministry of Health and Social Services in Namibia (17/3/3/HTN) before data collection. Results: For the purpose of this study, competence was based on a knowledge score of ≥80%. Seventy six (82%) participants obtained a knowledge score of ˂80%, and were found to be incompetent about PPH. Only 2% of the 93 participants obtained a knowledge score of ≥80% in all four PPH main domains (assessing, diagnosing, preventing and managing PPH). Further results also showed that participants obtained an overall knowledge mean score of ˂80% in all four PPH domains. The overall mean scores for assessing PPH was 70.7%, diagnosing PPH was 76.9%, preventing PPH was 73.8% and managing PPH was 72.1%. A statistically significant difference between the professional categories of the participants and their knowledge score in preventing PPH was observed (Levene’s Test for Equality of Variances, p=0.009). Conclusion: The results indicate that 82% of the participants are incompetent and lack sufficient knowledge about PPH. The lack of knowledge among the midwives is also contributing to the high PPH-related maternal morbidity and mortality in the two hospitals. Therefore, it is critical that midwives in the two hospitals are equipped with the necessary PPH knowledge to save maternal lives. The study proposed recommendations to the Ministry of Health and Social Services in Namibia which includes, increasing the number of advanced midwives and introducing skills laboratories.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Agtergrond: Postpartum bloeding (PPB) bly wêreldwyd die belangrikste direkte oorsaak van moedersterftes en morbiditeit, met ‘n hoë moedersterfte-syfer in ontwikkelende lande. Die navorser glo dat dieteenwoordigheid van ‘n vroedvrou met genoegsame kennis oor PPB by elke geboorte, sal bydrae lewer tot ‘n verlaging in die hoë moedersterftes wat deur PPB veroorsaak word. Vir die doel van hierdie studie, is ‘n ondersoek gelas om vas te stel of vroedvroue wat in die kraamafdelings van Windhoeksentraal en Katutura staatshospitale werk, kennis dra van assessering, diagnosering, voorkoming en hantering van PPB. Bykomend tot die doelwitte, het die studie verbande tussen die bibliografiese data en die kennisvlak van die geregistreerde vroedvroue en ingeskrewe vroedvroue bepaal. Metodes: ‘n Kwantitatiewe, beskrywende studie is hier toegepas. Die totale bevolking is 127 vroedvroue. Nietemin, slegs 93 was beskikbaar en het ingestem tot deelname. ‘n Selfgeadministreerde, gevalideerde vraelys is spesifiek ontwikkel om die vroedvroue se kennis omtrent PPB te ondersoek. Die loodsondersoek is uitgevoer om die betroubaarheid en geldigheid van die metodologie van die studie, insluitende die instrument te onderskraag. Bykomend hiermee, het die navorser sig-, saamvoeging- en inhoudswaarde dwarsdeur die navorsingsproses waargeneem. Die navorser het al die data ingesamel. Drie-en-negentig deelnemers het aan die studie deelgeneem en het die vraelyste in die teenwoordigheid van die navorser voltooi. Etiese oorwegings van reg tot selfbeskikking, reg op vertroulikheid en anonimiteit asook reg op beskerming teen ongemak en skade is tydens data-insameling waargeneem. Etiese beginsels aangaande respek vir menswaardigheid, begunstigheid en skadeloosheid is gedurende data-insameling waargeneem. Etiese toestemming is verkry van die Gesondheidsnavorsing se Etiekkomitee aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch (S19/08/167). In aansluiting hiermee, is etiese toestemming voor data-insameling van die Ministerie van Gesondheid en Maatskaplike Dienste in Namibië (17/3/3/HTN) verkry. Resultate: Vir die doel van hierdie studie is vaardigheid gebaseer op ‘n kennisvlak van ≥80%. Die meeste deelnemers, 82% het ‘n kennisvlak van ˂80% en is dus onbevoeg aangaande PPB bevind. Slegs 2% van die 93 deelnemers het ‘n kennisvlak van ≥80% in al vier PPB hoofterreine (assessering, diagnosering, voorkoming en hantering van PPB). Verdere resultate dui ook aan dat die deelnemers ‘n algehele gemiddelde kennis van ˂80% in al vier PPB terreine het. Die algehele gemiddelde kennisvlak vir assessering van PPB is 70.7%, diagnosering van PPB is 76.9%, voorkoming van PPB is 73.8% en hantering van PPB 72.1%. ‘n Statisties beduidende verskil tussen die professionele kategorieë van die deelnemers en hulle kennisvlak om PPB te voorkom, is waargeneem (Levene’s Test for Equality of Variances, p=0.009). Gevolgtrekking: Die resultate dui aan dat die meeste (82%) van die deelnemers onbevoeg is en het ‘n gebrek aan genoegsame kennis van PPB. Die gebrek aan kennis onder die vroedvroue dra ook by tot die hoë PPB-verbande morbidite en moedersterftes in die twee hospitale. Dus, dit is van kritieke belang dat die vroedvroue in die twee hospitale toegerus moet word met die nodige kennis oor PPB om moederlewens te red. Die studie beveel aan dat die Ministerie van Gesondheid en Maatskaplike Dienste in Namibië moet help om die gaping in die kennis omtrent PPB onder vroedvroue te sluit, soos om die aantal bekwame vroedvroue te vermeerder en vaardigheidslaboratoriums te vestig.
Description
Thesis (MNur)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.
Keywords
Labor (Obstetrics) -- Complications, Postpartum haemorrhage, Midwives -- Knowledge and learning, Hospitals -- Maternity services -- Windhoek (Namibia), Hospitals -- Maternity services -- Katutura (Windhoek, Namibia), Mothers -- Mortality, UCTD
Citation