A Study to Assess the Knowledge on Respectful Maternal Care Among the Health Workers Working in Selected Hospital/Health Centers at Meerut

Abstract

The pregnancy and mother hood is the right of a women. During the time of labour, the women suffer shouting, slapping, pinching, hitting, and also application of extreme fundal pressure which is against human rights. Respectful maternity care (RMC) is a rightful expectation of every woman. Care during this period needs to encompass basic human rights, including the rights to respect, dignity, confidentiality, information and informed consent, the right to the highest attainable standard of health, and freedom from discrimination and from all forms of ill-treatment including making abuse to mother in labour including lack of treatment with dignity, delivery by unqualified personnel, lack of privacy, demand for informal payments, and lack of basic infrastructure, hygiene, and sanitation . Objectives 1) To assess the knowledge on respectful maternity care among the health worker. 2) To determine the association between the knowledge on respectful maternity care with the selected demographic variable. Hypothesis H1-There will be significant difference on knowledge about respectful maternity care. H2-There will be significant association between the knowledge and the socio demographic variable. Methodology: A descriptive research design was undertaken for this study. The population of the study consists of health workers at selected hospitals of Meerut. With the sample size of 30 were selected by using non probability convenient sampling. Result: Among 30 Health Workers Sample 15(50%) Were Having Moderate Knowledge ,12(40%) Were Having Adequate Knowledge and Only 03(10%) Were Having Inadequate Knowledge About Respectful Maternity Care. And there was significant association with number of deliveries whereas there is no significant association between age, sex, education, years of experience, area of working and attending any midwifery related training Conclusion: The study concluded that the most of the health workers are having moderate knowledge regarding the respectful maternity care and there was significant association among the students.

Introduction

I. INTRODUCTION

As Childbirth is an important event in women’s life and all women need and deserve to receive respectful care during labour and childbirth. Respectful maternity care (RMC) is not only a crucial component of quality of care, it is a human right.  The concept of “respectful maternity care” has evolved and expanded over the past few decades after in September 2014, the World Health Organization has released a statement on preventing and eliminating disrespect and abuse during facility-based childbirth.

During the time of labour, the women suffer shouting, slapping, pinching, hitting, and also application of extreme fundal pressure which is against human rights. Respectful maternity care (RMC) is a rightful expectation of every woman. The pregnancy and mother hood is the right of a women. The problems such as disrespect, abuse, ill-treatment, demand for informal payments, infrastructural issues such as lack of water supply, sanitation, electricity, and crowded rooms are prevalent globally.

Unhealthy relations and traumatic birthing experiences can have long lasting effects on the mental as well as psychological health of women. Women need psychological and emotional support at the time of pregnancy and delivery. Moreover, Women’s experiences with caregivers in crucial time of labour have the impact to empower and comfort or to inflict lasting damage and emotional trauma, adding to or detracting from women’s confidence and self?esteem.

A. Statement of Problem

A study to assess the knowledge on Respectful maternal care among the health workers working in selected hospital/health centers at Meerut. 

B. Objectives

1. To assess the knowledge on respectful maternity care among the health worker.
2. To determine the association between the knowledge on respectful maternity care with the selected demographic variable.

II. MATERIAL AND METHODS

Descriptive research design was adopted for the study. The study conducted at selected hospital of Meerut 30 sample were taken were selected for the study by using convenient sampling technique. The formal permission obtained and written consent approval collected from sample with their willingness. The period of data collection was one week and data was collected from 30 health workers by using self-structured questionnaire.

III. RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Assessment of level of knowledge on Respectful Maternity Care among the health workers.

A. Age

The graph shows the age group 20-25 is having high frequency 40% whereas 31-35 group is having low frequency 33.33% whereas 26-30 group are having moderate frequency 26.66%

B. Gender

Gender graph shows majority are female staff nurses 80% whereas 20% were male nurses.

C. Education

Graph shows the majority of the participants were having diploma in nursing 76.66%,then participants with graduation BSc 16..66%,and ANM were 3.% and post basic participants were 3.3%.

D. Years of Experience

In this present study the majority of participants have 0-3 years’ experience 73.33%,then 4-7 years 23.33% ,then 8-11 years 3.33% and 0% participants where from  11 year above.

E. Area of Working

The majority of the participants were from labour room 30% ,then from NICU 36.66% ,then from postnatal ward 26.6% and then from antenatal  ward 6.66%

F. Number Of Deliveries Conducted

Graph shows 50% participants belonging to the group who have conducted 11-20 deliveries, then 30% of participants have conducted below 10 deliveries

G. Attended any Midwifery Related Training 

The majority of participants 90% have not attended any training /course related to midwifery but only 10% have attended midwifery related training.

IV. DISCUSSION

A. The first objective study was to assess the knowledge of health workers regarding respectful maternity care.

Among 30 Health Workers Sample 15(50%) Were Having Moderate Knowledge ,12(40%) Were Having Adequate Knowledge and Only 03(10%) Were Having Inadequate Knowledge About Respectful Maternity Care.

B. The second objectives of this study were to associate the selected demographical variables with knowledge on respectful maternal care

And there was significant association with number of deliveries whereas there is no significant association between age, sex, education, years of experience, area of working and attending any midwifery related training

Conclusion

The respectful maternal care is the right of individual women without any discrimination on the basis of age, gender and race.The health workers and administrator need to promote respectful maternal care for providing dignified care to the mothers for making their journey to motherhood a remarkable and pleasant experience.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2022 Ms. Blessy Mathew. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.