TOPIC:KNOWLEDGE ABOUT INDIVIDUALIZED BIRTH PLAN AND OBSTETRIC DANGER SIGNS AMONG MEN ATTENDING REPRODUCTIVE AND CHILD HEALTH CLINIC AT BUGURUNI HEALTH CENTRE, DAR ES SALAAM. PRESENTER: AUGUSTINE, ANDREW KAPAYA

BACKGROUND CONT…  Worldwide in 2013, women died during and following pregnancy and childbirth complications (WHO, 2014).  Maternal mortality rate in Tanzania is still high(454/100,000)  In Tanzania, men are currently encouraged to accompany their partners for reproductive services e.g ANC services  Antenatal services for men especially include: HIV testing and counseling, family planning, teaching about obstetric danger signs, and about developing an individual birth plan

BACKGROUND  Males` knowledge about birth-preparedness and obstetric danger signs is believed to play a key role in reducing maternal mortality and morbidity through promotion of active preparation, decision-making for delivery and identifying obstetric danger signs hence seeking for health services without delaying during obstetric emergency.

OBJECTIVE & HYPOTHESIS Objective: To assess knowledge about obstetric danger signs and individualized birth plan among men in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Hypothesis: Men who have secondary school education or more have higher knowledge about obstetric danger signs and individualized birth plan than those who have less than secondary school education

METHODOLOGY  The cross sectional study was conducted among men accompanying their partners at Buguruni Reproductive and Child Health Clinic.  Convenience sampling procedure was used to obtain a total of 97 men. Data was collected in November and December 2014 using an interviewer administered questionnaire.  Data were analyzed using SPSS to compute frequency distributions and percentages. Significance was calculated at p = Those who identified at least three of six obstetric danger signs and three of five components of birth plan were considered to have good knowledge.

RESULTS CONT…

 Men with higher levels of education had significantly more knowledge about obstetric danger signs (p = 0.013).  No significant difference was found between those with less than or more than a secondary school education with individualized birth plans (p = 0.2)

CONCLUSION  Men attending the Reproductive and Child Health Clinic at Buguruni Health Centre portrayed good knowledge about obstetric danger signs and an individualized birth plan.  This is evidence that health education is occurring at Buguruni Health Centre. However there are some gaps, especially in the areas of identification of potential blood donor which is an alarming situation. Therefore more emphasis is needed in this area of identification of potential blood donor.

RECOMMENDATIONS  Contrary to portrayed good knowledge, Tanzania`s maternity mortality rate is still extremely high. Therefore more studies should be done all over Tanzania to assess if men portray similar knowledge and assess factors which may affect putting that knowledge into practice

REFERENCES Dunn, A., Haque, S., & Innes, M. (2011). Rural Kenyan men’s awareness of danger signs of obstetric complications. Pan African Medical Journal. 39(4) Iliyasu, Z., Abubakar, I.S., Galadanci, H.S., & Aliyu, M.H. (2010). Birth Preparedness, Complication Readiness and Fathers’ Participation in Maternity Care in a Northern Nigerian Community. African Journal of Reproductive Health. 14(1), Kakaire, O., Kaye, D.K., Osinde, M.O. (2011). Male involvement in birth preparedness and complication readiness for emergency obstetric referrals in rural Uganda. Reproductive Health. 8: 12

REFERENCES CONT… National Bureau of Statistics (2010). Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey. Ministry of Economic Planning and Development. United Republic of Tanzania, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Magoma, M., Requejo, J., Campbell, O.M., Cousens, S., Filippi, V. (2010). High ANC coverage and low skilled attendance in a rural Tanzanian district: a case for implementing a birth plan intervention. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 13(10), Odimegwu, C., Adewuyi, A., Odebiyi, T., Aina, B., Adesina, Y., et al., (2005). Men’s Role in Emergency Obstetric Care in Osun State of Nigeria. Afr J Reprod Health. 9(3):59-71.

REFERENCES CONT… Pembe, A.B., Urassa, D.P., Carlstedt, A., Lindmark, G., Nystrom, L., Darj, E. (2009). Rural Tanzanian women’s awareness of danger signs of obstetric complications. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 9: 12 Say, L., et al., (2014). Global Causes of Maternal Death: A WHO Systematic Analysis.Lancet.