Background: This study sought to understand community health workers' (CHW) knowledge and perceptions of community beliefs surrounding neonatal jaundice (NNJ), a treatable but potentially fatal condition prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods: In this cross-sectional qualitative study, CHWs in Kumasi, Ghana, completed in-depth interviews with trained research assistants using a semi-structured interview guide. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using grounded theory methodology.

Results: Knowledge of NNJ varied widely among the 23 respondents: 74% knew NNJ could cause death, 57% knew how to screen for NNJ. 35% of CHWs favored home treatment (sunlight therapy or watchful waiting). Three main themes emerged: CHWs perceived that caregivers prefer home treatment, equating hospital care with death; sunlight and herbs are the most common home treatments; and caregivers attribute NNJ to supernatural causes, delaying jaundice diagnosis.

Interpretation: Incomplete understanding of NNJ among trained CHWs and local communities will require improved education among both groups to improve outcomes.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11326413PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4662211/v1DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

community health
8
knowledge perceptions
8
neonatal jaundice
8
kumasi ghana
8
nnj
6
health worker
4
worker knowledge
4
perceptions neonatal
4
jaundice kumasi
4
ghana background
4

Similar Publications

The EN ISO 15189:2022 standard, titled "Medical laboratories - Requirements for quality and competence," is a significant update to the regulations for medical laboratories. The revised standard was published on December 6, 2022, replacing both EN ISO 15189:2012 and EN ISO 22870:2016. Key objectives of the revision include: 1.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Cancer is a leading cause of global mortality, accounting for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020. This is projected to increase by more than 60% by 2040, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Yet, palliative and psychosocial oncology care is very limited in these countries.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Isatidis root polysaccharides ameliorates post-weaning diarrhea by promoting intestinal health and modulating the gut microbiota in piglets.

Vet Q

December 2025

Animal Nutritional Genome and Germplasm Innovation Research Center, College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary isatidis root polysaccharide (IRP) on diarrhea, immunity, and intestinal health in weanling piglets. Forty healthy piglets were randomly assigned to five groups receiving varying dosages of IRP. The findings indicated that different concentrations of IRP significantly reduced diarrhea scores ( < 0.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Mental health chatbots have emerged as a promising tool for providing accessible and convenient support to individuals in need. Building on our previous research on digital interventions for loneliness and depression among Korean college students, this study addresses the limitations identified and explores more advanced artificial intelligence-driven solutions.

Objective: This study aimed to develop and evaluate the performance of HoMemeTown Dr.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!