Knowledge of Factors Responsible for and Preventive Measures of Infant Mortality among Childbearing Mothers in Owerri Municipal Council, Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Infant mortality remains a global public health issue. This study investigated knowledge of factors responsible for and preventive measures of infant mortality among childbearing mothers in Owerri Municipal Council, Imo State, Nigeria. Four research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population for the study consisted of 42,141 childbearing mothers living in Owerri Municipal Council. The sample size was 390 childbearing mothers drawn using two stage sampling procedures. A validated questionnaire titled “Knowledge of Factors Responsible for and Preventive Measures of Infant Mortality Questionnaire (KFRPMIMQ) was used as instrument for data collection. Descriptive statistics of frequency, percentage, and chi-square were used to answer and analyse the research questions and hypotheses respectively. Results showed that childbearing mothers in Owerri Municipal Council possessed very high knowledge (85.9% and 86.2%) respectively of factors responsible for and preventive measures of infant mortality. Childbearing mothers with primary and tertiary education possessed very high knowledge (87.8% and 86.3%) respectively of factors responsible for infant mortality while those with secondary education possessed high knowledge (67.1%) on the same issue. Childbearing mothers with primary and tertiary education possessed very high knowledge (95.2% and 86.6%) respectively of preventive measures of infant mortality while those with secondary education possessed high knowledge (70.1%) on the same issue. Furthermore, the results revealed that there was significant difference in the knowledge of factors responsible for and preventive measures of infant mortality based on level of education. The authors recommended among others that government and non-governmental organizations should plunge into action in preventing the menace that increases infant mortality in the State.