Ihudiebube-Splendor Chikaodili Ndidiamaka, Jisieike-Onuigbo Nonyelum Nnenna, Chikeme Paulina Chigwara, Utazi Onyinyechi Lilian, Nnamani Anulika Jennifer
Department of Nursing Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology, University of Nigeria Nsukka Enugu Campus, Nigeria.
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Health Sciences and Technology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka Nnewi Campus, Nigeria.
Afr Health Sci. 2024 Dec;24(4):163-173. doi: 10.4314/ahs.v24i4.22.
Obstetric fistula remains a major public health problem which serves as a proxy indicator of the status of Nigerian women and of the availability and accessibility to quality maternal health services. This study aims to assess the knowledge, practice and perceived factors that might hinder preventive interventions to reduce obstetric fistula by service providers in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State Nigeria.
A cross-sectional survey of 169 service providers (doctors (49) and nurses (120)) in selected health facilities in Abakaliki was conducted using a validated self-administered questionnaire.
Majority (71%) of the participants were registered nurse/midwife while only 29% were doctors. Most (87.0% & 89.9%) of the participants had both adequate knowledge and good practice of preventive measures of obstetric fistula respectively. Major factors perceived to hider the practice of obstetric fistula preventive measures were patient-related factors (mean=2.97) and institutional factors (mean = 2.51). There was significant association between age (p = 0.008), marital status (p = 0.029), profession (p = 0.039), years of experience of work (p = 0.003) and the knowledge of obstetric fistula while none of the demographic characteristics had association (p > 0.05) with the practice of obstetric fistula preventive measures.
Although most participants in this study had adequate knowledge and good practice of obstetric fistula preventive measures, there is still a great need to train and retrain doctors and nurses on current guidelines for obstetric fistula prevention and conservative management. Government should also strengthen the health facilities at all levels to provide emergency obstetric and newborn care.
产科瘘仍然是一个重大的公共卫生问题，它是尼日利亚妇女状况以及优质孕产妇保健服务的可获得性和可及性的一个代理指标。本研究旨在评估尼日利亚埃邦伊州阿巴卡利基的服务提供者对可能阻碍减少产科瘘预防干预措施的知识、实践及感知因素。
使用经过验证的自填式问卷，对阿巴卡利基选定卫生设施中的169名服务提供者（49名医生和120名护士）进行了横断面调查。
大多数（71%）参与者是注册护士/助产士，而只有29%是医生。大多数（分别为87.0%和89.9%）参与者对产科瘘预防措施既有足够的知识又有良好的实践。被认为阻碍产科瘘预防措施实践的主要因素是患者相关因素（均值=2.97）和机构因素（均值=2.51）。年龄（p = 0.008）、婚姻状况（p = 0.029）、职业（p = 0.039）、工作年限（p = 0.003）与产科瘘知识之间存在显著关联，而没有任何人口统计学特征与产科瘘预防措施的实践存在关联（p > 0.05）。
尽管本研究中的大多数参与者对产科瘘预防措施有足够的知识和良好的实践，但仍非常需要对医生和护士进行产科瘘预防和保守管理现行指南方面的培训和再培训。政府还应加强各级卫生设施，以提供紧急产科和新生儿护理。
