Kaur Manhardeep, Oberoi Simmi, Singh Jatinder, Kaler Neha, Balgir Rajinder Singh
Department of Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, India.
Department of Community Medicine, GMC Patiala, Punjab, India.
J Family Med Prim Care. 2022 Dec;11(12):7863-7869. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_812_22. Epub 2023 Jan 17.
Accredited social health activist (ASHA) workers act as a "bridge" between rural people and health service outlets and play a central role in achieving national health and population policy goals. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) V (2019-2021) data, infant mortality rate (IMR) is still high in rural areas (32.4 per 1000 live births) in Punjab, compared to urban areas (20.1). Maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is also high (129 per lakh), according to sample registration system (SRS) 2016-2018 data.
In this descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted at RHTC, Bhadson, we assessed the knowledge of ASHA workers regarding maternal and child health (MCH) services and their provision by them to their beneficiaries (mothers with children aged 0-6 months). Out of the total 196 ASHA workers, 72 were selected randomly to assess their knowledge, while 100 beneficiary mothers were interviewed face to face to assess the services provided by the ASHA workers.
Almost 65.2% of ASHA workers were above 35 years of age. Majority of the ASHA workers (40/72) replied that average weight gain in pregnancy is 10 kg. Very few, that is, 17 (23.6%), ASHA workers knew that breastfeeding should be started within the first hour after delivery of the baby. Counseling regarding nutrition, birth preparedness, institutional delivery, and birth registration was given by ASHA workers to 75%-85% of mothers. There was statistically significant improvement in the practices by mothers with the counseling given by ASHA workers regarding pre-lacteal feed, utilization of family planning methods, and delaying early bathing.
The study concludes that ASHA workers have good knowledge regarding various aspects of antenatal period, but when it comes to postnatal period and care of the newborn, there are some lacunae. These aspects of newborn care need to be reinforced into the refresher trainings of the ASHA workers.
经认证的社会健康活动家（ASHA）工作人员充当农村居民与卫生服务机构之间的“桥梁”，在实现国家卫生和人口政策目标方面发挥着核心作用。根据《全国家庭健康调查》（NFHS）V（2019 - 2021年）数据，旁遮普农村地区的婴儿死亡率（IMR）仍然很高（每1000例活产中有32.4例），而城市地区为（20.1例）。根据2016 - 2018年样本登记系统（SRS）数据，孕产妇死亡率（MMR）也很高（每十万例中有129例）。
在巴德森农村卫生培训中心（RHTC）进行的这项描述性横断面研究中，我们评估了ASHA工作人员关于母婴健康（MCH）服务的知识，以及他们向受益人（0 - 6个月儿童的母亲）提供这些服务的情况。在总共196名ASHA工作人员中，随机选择了72名来评估他们的知识，同时对100名受益母亲进行了面对面访谈，以评估ASHA工作人员提供的服务。
近65.2%的ASHA工作人员年龄在35岁以上。大多数ASHA工作人员（40/72）回答说孕期平均体重增加为10千克。只有极少数，即17名（23.6%）ASHA工作人员知道应在婴儿出生后第一小时内开始母乳喂养。ASHA工作人员为75% - 85%的母亲提供了关于营养、分娩准备、机构分娩和出生登记的咨询。在ASHA工作人员就初乳喂养、计划生育方法的使用和推迟早沐浴提供咨询后，母亲们的做法有了统计学上的显著改善。
该研究得出结论，ASHA工作人员在孕期各方面有良好的知识，但在产后和新生儿护理方面存在一些不足。新生儿护理的这些方面需要在ASHA工作人员的进修培训中得到加强。
