Abstract
Background:
Neonates discharged from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) remain at increased risk of preventable complications and hospital readmission, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Adequate parental knowledge of basic neonatal home care is essential to ensure continuity of care and improve post-discharge outcomes.
Objective:
This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge regarding basic home care among parents of neonates discharged from the NICU at a tertiary care hospital in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
Methods:
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 70 parents of neonates at the time of NICU discharge. Participants were recruited using consecutive sampling. Data were collected using a structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire assessing parental knowledge of breastfeeding, immunization, umbilical cord care, thermoregulation, infection prevention, and recognition of neonatal danger signs. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board, and written informed consent was secured. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize demographic characteristics and knowledge levels.
Results:
The mean age of parents was 30.1 ± 7.0 years, and 84.3% had attained intermediate-level education or higher. Most neonates were full-term (64%) with a mean birth weight of 2.66 ± 0.53 kg. Overall, parents demonstrated a fair level of knowledge regarding basic neonatal home care. Knowledge was comparatively better in thermoregulation (41.4% good) and umbilical cord care (38.6% good). Fair knowledge levels were observed in immunization (62.9%), infection prevention (55.7%), and recognition of neonatal danger signs (40.0%). Only 20.0% of parents demonstrated very good knowledge of breastfeeding. Notably, 68.6% of parents reported receiving no education on neonatal care during antenatal visits.
Conclusion:
Parents of neonates discharged from the NICU exhibited predominantly fair knowledge of essential home care practices, with significant gaps in breastfeeding and recognition of danger signs. Strengthening structured parental education during antenatal care and prior to NICU discharge is essential to enhance neonatal outcomes and reduce preventable readmissions.