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. 2022 Jan-Dec:18:17455057221082954.
doi: 10.1177/17455057221082954.

Puerperal sepsis-related knowledge and reported self-care practices among postpartum women in Dar es salaam, Tanzania

Dorice B Nchimbi  1   2 , Angelina A Joho  1
Affiliations

Puerperal sepsis-related knowledge and reported self-care practices among postpartum women in Dar es salaam, Tanzania

Dorice B Nchimbi et al. Womens Health (Lond). 2022 Jan-Dec.

Abstract

Background: Knowledge and reported self-care practices of postpartum women are important for early detection, prevention and treatment of puerperal sepsis.

Objectives: This study analyzes the knowledge and self-care practices for prevention of puerperal sepsis and their determinants among postpartum women.

Methods: A hospital-based analytical cross-sectional study which included 343 postpartum women was conducted from February to March 2021. Data were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaire. Predictors of knowledge and self-care reported practice were determined using binary logistic regression. p < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results: More than half (n = 213, 62.1%) of the postpartum women had adequate knowledge on prevention of puerperal sepsis. Only 39 (11.4%) of the women reported adequate self-care practices toward prevention of puerperal sepsis. Secondary education (adjusted odds ratio = 0.18, 95% confidence interval = 0.06-0.49, p = 0.001), tertiary education (adjusted odds ratio = 0.52, 95% confidence interval = 0.19-1.38, p = 0.021) and getting information from healthcare providers (adjusted odds ratio = 1.06, 95% confidence interval = 0.55-2.06, p = 0.049) were significant determinants of knowledge on prevention of puerperal sepsis. Also, secondary education (adjusted odds ratio = 0.11, 95% confidence interval = 0.04-0.30, p = 0.001), tertiary education (adjusted odds ratio = 0.16, 95% confidence interval = 0.06-0.39, p = 0.001), and having more than four antenatal care visits (adjusted odds ratio = 1.21, 95% confidence interval = 0.49-3.27, p = 0.041) were significant determinants of reported self-care practices for prevention of puerperal sepsis.

Conclusion: A significant gap in reported self-care practices to prevent puerperal sepsis was evidence. Secondary and tertiary education were significant predictors for both knowledge and self-care reported practices. Special attention should be given to women with low education level.

Keywords: knowledge; peripartum period; postpartum women; pregnancy complications; puerperal sepsis; self-care practices.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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