article · Journal of Community Medicine and Primary Health Care
A cross-sectional study in Yobe State, Nigeria, assessed birth preparedness and complication readiness among 946 women, comparing internally displaced persons with residents of host communities. While general awareness of birth preparedness was high in both groups, exceeding 82 per cent, and attitudes were overwhelmingly positive, actual knowledge remained poor, recorded at under 15 per cent for both cohorts. Factors influencing knowledge included maternal education, antenatal care attendance, income sources, and husbands' occupations. Specifically, having an independent source of income significantly improved knowledge among displaced women, whereas husbands' education and occupation were stronger predictors among host community women. Overall, the findings demonstrate that awareness does not translate into practical preparedness, underscoring the necessity of targeted education and enhanced antenatal care services to safeguard maternal and neonatal health in conflict-affected areas.
Adequate preparation for childbirth and complication readiness are essential to reduce delays in seeking skilled care and prevent maternal and neonatal deaths. By showing that high awareness coexists with very poor practical knowledge in conflict-affected communities, this research identifies critical gaps that public health programmes and humanitarian organisations must address through targeted antenatal education.
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Background: Adequate birth preparedness and complication readiness (BPCR) among pregnant women can reduce decision-making delays, increase skilled birth service use and prevent maternal and neonatal complications. This study compares BPCR between women displaced by insurgency and women of host communities in Northeast, Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted in Yobe in November 2021 involved 946 women (IDPs and host) selected through multistage sampling. Data were collected via an interviewer-administered ODK-based questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS v20.0. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses assessed associations between sociodemographic factors and BPCR knowledge, attitudes, and practice at a significance level of p ≤0.05. Result: Most respondents were aged 25–29 years (mean - 29.5 (±7.3) for IDPs and 29.0 (±6.8) for hosts). While BPCR awareness was high (hosts: 84.1%, IDPs: 82.9%), knowledge was poor in both groups (hosts: 14.8%, IDPs: 13.1%). Factors associated with BPCR knowledge included education, ANC attendance, income source, and husband’s occupation. Among IDPs, having a source of income significantly predicted better knowledge (AOR = 3.3). In host communities, husbands’ education and occupation were significant predictors (AOR = 9.9 and AOR = 2.5, respectively). Positive attitudes toward BPCR were common in both groups (hosts: 86.7%, IDPs: 86.9%). In IDPs, ANC attendance and knowledge predicted positive attitudes (AOR = 3.36 and AOR = 8.22). Among hosts, husband’s education, occupation, and knowledge of danger signs predicted positive attitudes (AOR = 3.81, 3.72, and 3.72, respectively). Conclusion: Despite awareness and positive attitudes, BPCR knowledge and practice are low. Targeted education and enhanced ANC services are crucial to promote BPCR, especially among vulnerable IDP populations.
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DOI: 10.4314/jcmphc.v37i2.1
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