Essential newborn care practices and determinants amongst mothers of infants aged 0-6 months in refugee settlements, Adjumani district, West Nile, Uganda
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: Despite recent improvements in child survival, neonatal mortality remains high in most developing countries. Countries affected by humanitarian emergencies continue to report the highest neonatal mortality rates. OBJECTIVE: To assess essential newborn care practices and its determinants amongst mothers of infants aged 0-6 months in refugee settlements in Adjumani district. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among mothers of infants aged 0-6 months in refugee settlements, Adjumani district. A total of 561 mothers of infants were selected using systematic sampling technique from households. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. A composite outcome variable, Essential Newborn Care practices was created by merging different care practices (neonatal feeding, thermal care, and cord care). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine predictors of Essential Newborn Care. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Over half (57%) of the mothers breastfed their newborns within one hour. Half (50.1%) of mothers cleaned the umbilical cord of their newborns. Only 17% of the newborns received optimal thermal care immediately after birth. Mothers aged 20-24 years (OR 0.38, CI 0.17-0.96) and those involved in subsistence farming (OR 0.67, CI 0.38-1.45) were less likely to practice good newborn care compared to those in other occupations. Newborn care practices were sub-optimal in this refugee setting. To improve newborn care practices, there is need to educate mothers through community-based health interventions in order to promote delayed bathing, ideal infant feeding, thermal and umbilical cord care.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
One study from a community in Uganda reports a lower percentage of EBI.
“Four studies present high percentages of EBI being practised among women in the assessed hospitals, PHCCs and communities31 50 59 60; and one from a community in Uganda reports a lower percentage.48”
From A systematic review of newborn health interventions in humanitarian settings (2022) · cites this paper as [48]
Delaying bathing practice varied across settings.
“This practice varied across settings, for example, in Somalia, it was observed in 99.2% (95% CI 97.1 to 99.9) of newborns born in the PHCCs,36 while in Uganda and Afghanistan it was not a common practice.48 56”
From A systematic review of newborn health interventions in humanitarian settings (2022) · cites this paper as [48]
In Uganda and Afghanistan, delaying bathing was not a common practice.
“This practice varied across settings, for example, in Somalia, it was observed in 99.2% (95% CI 97.1 to 99.9) of newborns born in the PHCCs,36 while in Uganda and Afghanistan it was not a common practice.48 56”
From A systematic review of newborn health interventions in humanitarian settings (2022) · cites this paper as [48]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Liu, L., Oza, S., Hogan, D., Chu, Y., Perin, J., Zhu, J., Lawn, J. E., Cousens, S., Mathers, C., & Black, R. E. (2016) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(16)31593-8 · Cited by 3,453 · see citing works
Evidence-based, cost-effective interventions: How many newborn babies can we save?
Darmstadt, G. L., Bhutta, Z. A., Cousens, S., Adam, T., Walker, N., & de Bernis, L. (2005) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(05)71088-6 · Cited by 1,541 · see citing works
[The national population and housing census, 2000].
Kuciarska-ciesielska, M., & Nowak, L. (1997) · PubMed · Cited by 1,410 · see citing works
Bhutta, Z. A., Das, J. K., Bahl, R., Lawn, J. E., Salam, R. A., Paul, V. K., Sankar, M. J., Blencowe, H., Rizvi, A., Chou, V. B., et al. (2014) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(14)60792-3 · Cited by 1,367 · see citing works
You, D., Hug, L., Ejdemyr, S., Idele, P., Hogan, D. R., Mathers, C. D., Gerland, P., New, J. R., & Alkema, L. (2015) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(15)00120-8 · Cited by 833 · see citing works
Levels and trends in child mortality, 1990–2009
You, D., Jones, G., Hill, K., Wardlaw, T., & Chopra, M. (2010) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(10)61429-8 · Cited by 789 · see citing works
Bhutta, Z. A., Darmstadt, G. L., Hasan, B. S., & Haws, R. A. (2005) · PEDIATRICS · doi:10.1542/peds.2004-1441 · Cited by 707 · see citing works
Suzuki, E., Mathers, C. D., Moller, A., Alkema, L., Say, L., Gemmill, A., Mills, S. L., Chou, D., & Hogan, D. R. (2014) · Cited by 680 · see citing works
Kuruvilla, S., Bustreo, F., Kuo, T., Mishra, C., Taylor, K., Fogstad, H., Gupta, G. R., Gilmore, K., Temmerman, M., Thomas, J., et al. (2016) · Bulletin of the World Health Organization · doi:10.2471/blt.16.170431 · Cited by 310 · see citing works
Status of Women and Infants in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies
Al‐Gasseer, N., Dresden, E., Keeney, G. B., & Warren, N. (2004) · Journal of Midwifery & Women s Health · doi:10.1016/j.jmwh.2004.05.001 · Cited by 169 · see citing works
Thermal protection of the newborn in resource-limited environments
Lunze, K., & Hamer, D. H. (2012) · Journal of Perinatology · doi:10.1038/jp.2012.11 · Cited by 136 · see citing works
The intergenerational effects of war on the health of children
Devakumar, D., Birch, M., Osrin, D., Sondorp, E., & Wells, J. C. K. (2014) · BMC Medicine · doi:10.1186/1741-7015-12-57 · Cited by 132 · see citing works
Yip, R. (1993) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.270.5.587 · Cited by 101 · see citing works
A modified cluster-sampling method for post-disaster rapid assessment of needs.
Malilay, J., Flanders, W. D., & Brogan, D. (1996) · PubMed · Cited by 96 · see citing works
Keeping newborns warm: beliefs, practices and potential for behaviour change in rural Ghana
Hill, Z. E., Tawiah‐Agyemang, C., Manu, A. A., Okyere, E., & Kirkwood, B. R. (2010) · Tropical Medicine & International Health · doi:10.1111/j.1365-3156.2010.02593.x · Cited by 69 · see citing works
Arvelo, W., Kim, A., Creek, T., Legwaila, K., Puhr, N. D., Johnston, S. P., Masunge, J., Davis, M. K., Mintz, E. M., & Bowen, A. B. (2010) · International Journal of Infectious Diseases · doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2010.06.014 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
Patterns and Determinants of Essential Newborn Care Practices in Rural Areas of Northern Ghana
Saaka, M., & Iddrisu, M. (2014) · International Journal of Population Research · doi:10.1155/2014/404387 · Cited by 61 · see citing works
Shamba, D. D., Schellenberg, J., Hildon, Z. J., Mashasi, I., Penfold, S. C., Tanner, M., Marchant, T., & Hill, Z. E. (2014) · BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth · doi:10.1186/1471-2393-14-267 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
State of the World's Newborns: A Report from Saving Newborn Lives.
Costello, A. M. D. L., Francis, V., Byrne, A., & Puddephatt, C. (2001) · Cited by 46 · see citing works
White, A. L., Carrara, V. I., Paw, M. K., Malika, Dahbu, C., Gross, M. M., Stuetz, W., Nosten, F. H., & McGready, R. (2012) · International Breastfeeding Journal · doi:10.1186/1746-4358-7-19 · Cited by 40 · cited 1× · see citing works
“This finding is similar to a study by [46] among Karen refugees that found poor SSC despite of high rates of breast feeding initiation by mothers.”
ResultWomen’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health in humanitarian and other crises
Zeid, S., Gilmore, K., Khosla, R., Papowitz, H., Engel, D. M. C., Dakkak, H., Rahab, N., Sharma, A. K., & Fair, M. (2015) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.h4346 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Amsalu, R., Morris, C. N., Chukwumalu, K., Hynes, M., Janjua, S., Couture, A., Summers, A., Cannon, A., Hulland, E. N., & Baunach, S. (2019) · Conflict and Health · doi:10.1186/s13031-019-0202-4 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Sami, S., Kerber, K., Tomczyk, B., Amsalu, R., Jackson, D., Scudder, E., Dimiti, A., Meyers, J., Kenneth, K., Kenyi, S., et al. (2017) · Reproductive Health Matters · doi:10.1080/09688080.2017.1405677 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Wise, P. H., & Darmstadt, G. L. (2015) · Paediatrics and International Child Health · doi:10.1179/2046905515y.0000000027 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Jakobsen, M., Sodemann, M., Nylén, G., Balé, C., Nielsen, J. O., Lisse, I. M., & Aaby, P. (2003) · Tropical Medicine & International Health · doi:10.1046/j.1360-2276.2003.01122.x · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Sami, S., Kerber, K., Kenyi, S., Amsalu, R., Tomczyk, B., Jackson, D., Dimiti, A., Scudder, E., Meyers, J., Umurungi, J. P. D. C., et al. (2017) · Reproductive Health · doi:10.1186/s12978-017-0417-z · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Hurdles and opportunities for newborn care in rural Uganda
Byaruhanga, R., Nsungwa‐Sabiiti, J., Kiguli, J., Balyeku, A., Nsabagasani, X., & Peterson, S. (2010) · Midwifery · doi:10.1016/j.midw.2010.02.005 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Mach, O., Lu, L. S., Creek, T., Bowen, A. B., Arvelo, W., Smit, M., Masunge, J., Brennan, M., & Handzel, T. (2009) · American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene · doi:10.4269/ajtmh.2009.80.812 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Aakre, I., Lilleengen, A. M., Aarsand, M. L., Strand, T. A., Barikmo, I., & Henjum, S. (2016) · International Breastfeeding Journal · doi:10.1186/s13006-016-0098-1 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Gender, Displacement, and Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies
Palmquist, A. E. L., & Gribble, K. D. (2018) · International handbooks of population · doi:10.1007/978-94-024-1290-1_23 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
1 of the 31 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.
Research works printed but not linked: 5
- [28]Kish L. Survey sampling. Survey sampling: John Wiley & Sons; 1965.
- [33]Sami S, Kerber K, Kenyi S, Amsalu R, Tomczyk B, Jackson D, et al State of newborn care in South Sudan’s displacement camps: a descriptive study of facility-based deliveries. Reproductive Health. 2017; 14(1): 161 10.1186/s12978-017-0417-z 29187210 PMC5707872 · DOI · Paper page
- [44]WHO. Care of the Umbilical Cord: A Review of the Evidence. Geneva, Switzerland: Division of Reproductive Health, World Health Organization.; 1998.
- [45]WHO, UNICEF. Baby-friendly hospital initiative: revised, updated and expanded for integrated care. Geneva 2009. 23926623
- [50]Partnership for Maternal Newborn Child Health. Essential interventions, commodities and guidelines for reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health: a global review of the key interventions related to reproductive, maternal, newborn and child Health. World Health Organization Geneva; 2011.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Dawson, A. J., Tappis, H., & Tran, N. T. (2022) · BMC Health Services Research · doi:10.1186/s12913-022-07916-4 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Reinders, S., Blas, M. M., Neuman, M., Huicho, L., & Ronsmans, C. (2022) · The Lancet Regional Health - Americas · doi:10.1016/j.lana.2022.100404 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
The delivery of essential newborn care in conflict settings: A systematic review
Kampalath, V. N., MacLean, S., AlAbdulhadi, A., & Congdon, M. (2022) · Frontiers in Pediatrics · doi:10.3389/fped.2022.937751 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
A systematic review of newborn health interventions in humanitarian settings
Rodo, M., Duclos, D., DeJong, J., Akik, C., & Singh, N. S. (2022) · BMJ Global Health · doi:10.1136/bmjgh-2022-009082 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Abebe, M., Kejela, G., Cheme, M. C., & Desalegn, M. (2023) · PLOS Global Public Health · doi:10.1371/journal.pgph.0001469 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Understanding the Dynamics of Refugee Impact on Employment: Evidence from Northern Uganda
Musasizi, J., Arunachalam, D., & Forbes‐Mewett, H. (2024) · International Migration Review · doi:10.1177/01979183231216085 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Getachew, T., Dheresa, M., Eyeberu, A., Balis, B., & Yadeta, T. A. (2022) · Frontiers in Pediatrics · doi:10.3389/fped.2022.860094 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Walters, C. A., Rakotomanana, H., Komakech, J. J., Kabahenda, M. K., Joyce, J. M., Hildebrand, D. A., Ciciolla, L. M., & Stoecker, B. J. (2023) · International Breastfeeding Journal · doi:10.1186/s13006-023-00549-1 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Al‐Nafeesah, A., Ahmed, M. A. A., Elhory, O., Mahgoub, H. M., Hassan, B., Al‐Wutayd, O., & Adam, I. (2022) · Children · doi:10.3390/children9060873 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Lee, I. (2023) · Child Health Nursing Research · doi:10.4094/chnr.2023.29.1.72 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Introduction of a novel neonatal warming device in Malawi: an implementation science study
Mvula, M. G., Garcia, A. F., Namwali, L., Matanje, B. L., Mphande, I., Munyaneza, F., Kapira, S., & Hansen, A. R. (2024) · International Health · doi:10.1093/inthealth/ihad114 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Muhumuza, S., Nsabagasani, X., Muhangi, C. N., Latigi, G., Pirio, P., Msukwa, C., Mwanyumba, F., Gohar, F., Hailegebriel, T. D., Asfaw, A. G., et al. (2023) · BMC Health Services Research · doi:10.1186/s12913-023-09480-x · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Ayele, A., Dikaso, D., Samuel, T., Laelago, T., Areba, A. S., Milkiyas, F., & Edin, A. (2025) · Sage Open Pediatrics · doi:10.1177/30502225251325917 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Praktik Pengasuhan Dasar bagi Bayi Baru Lahir oleh Ibu Pasca Persalinan
Sari, Y., Junengsih, J., & Angraini, D. H. (2022) · Jurnal Bidan Cerdas · doi:10.33860/jbc.v4i2.799 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Ecodu, S. P., Muhumuza, B. N., Rukundo, L., & Kazibwe, F. (2023) · Student s Journal of Health Research Africa · doi:10.51168/sjhrafrica.v4i9.620 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Dawson, A. J., Tappis, H., & Tran, N. T. (2022) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-1216373/v1 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Literature Review; Stabilitas Tanda-tanda Vital Neonatus Segera Mandi dengan Tunda Mandi
Ompusunggu, F., & Rustina, Y. (2021) · Jurnal Ilmiah Keperawatan STIKES Hang Tuah Surabaya · doi:10.30643/jiksht.v16i1.133
Kerich, C., Mutungi, A., & Kubende, P. (2024) · East African Journal of Health and Science · doi:10.37284/eajhs.7.1.2123
Dawson, A., Tappis, H., & Tran, N. T. (2022) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.20026270
Dawson, A., Tappis, H., & Tran, N. T. (2022) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.20026276
Dawson, A., Tappis, H., & Tran, N. T. (2022) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.20026273
- Authors
- Komakech, H., Lubogo, D., Nabiwemba, E., & Orach, C. G.
- Affiliations
- Makerere University (UG)
- Corresponding author
- Komakech, Henry
- Venue
- PLoS ONE
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science (PLoS)
- Published
- 2020-04-23
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- e0231970
- ISSN
- 1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC7179823
- OpenAlex
- W3020175813
- Cited by
- 22
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 1
- FWCI
- 4.07
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- United States Agency for International Development
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Global Maternal and Child Health
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Maternal and Neonatal Healthcare
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Child Nutrition and Water Access
- Keywords
- essential newborn care, neonatal care practices, refugee settlement, neonatal mortality, breastfeeding, umbilical cord care, neonatal thermal care, delayed bathing, maternal education, subsistence farming, humanitarian crisis, maternal health education
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Female, Humans, Infant, Infant Care, Infant, Newborn, Male, Mothers, Surveys and Questionnaires, Refugees, Uganda, Young Adult
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
