Evaluating Quality of Health Education Messages Among Postnatal Women in the Postnatal Wards, Kenyatta National Hospital

Abstract

Background: Quality health education received by postnatal women is very important in helping them become responsible for their own health status and that of the baby. It also helps women recognize danger signs and thus reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. When health messages are not sufficient, timely, appropriate, acceptable and understandable, women delay seeking care. Specific consideration should be paid on the nature of health education messages on postnatal care given in health facilities. Objective: To evaluate quality of health education messages shared to postnatal women in the postnatal wards at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH). Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study employing quantitative methods was used. Data was collected through an interviewer administered questionnaire among118 women admitted in postnatal wards at KNH. The respondents were selected by simple random sampling method. Pretesting of the study tools was done. Data was cleaned, numerically coded to facilitate analysis and edited. Data analysis was done by use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics including frequencies and percentages were utilized. Study data was also analyzed inferentially. Results were presented in tables and figures. Research was carried out after ethical approval from the Kenyatta National Hospital-University of Nairobi (UoN) Ethics and Research Committee. Results: A statistically significant positive association was established between the timing of the health messages on postnatal care and quality of health education messages among the postnatal women (r = 0.575, p<0.05). Similarly, modes of delivery of health messages were found to have a statistically significant positive association with the quality of health education messages among the postnatal women (r = 0.631, p<0.05). A statistically significant positive association was also established between simplicity of language used to convey the health messages and quality of health education messages among the postnatal women (r = 0.689, p<0.05). Conclusions: The timing of the health messages on postnatal care, modes of delivery of health messages and simplicity of the language used in sharing the health messages to postnatal women were significant determinants of the quality of health education messages among postnatal women at KNH’s postnatal wards. Recommendations: There is need for greater emphasis on timing, modes of delivery and simplicity of language used in delivery of health education messages on postnatal care among postnatal women.