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ISSN 2063-5346
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EVALUATION OF HEALTH WORKERS' KNOWLEDGES, ATTITUDES, AND PRACTICES REGARDING HYPERTENSION DURING PREGNANCY: A DESCRIPTIVE CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

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Dr Suhas Mule, Dr Manas Godbole, Dr Ramesh Kawade, Dr Vijay Patil
» doi: 10.31838/ecb/2023.12.si4.284

Abstract

Hypertension during pregnancy is a significant concern affecting both the mother and the fetus. Health workers are critical in preventing, detecting, and managing hypertension during pregnancy. Therefore, assessing the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of health workers towards hypertension during pregnancy is crucial. This study aimed to evaluate health workers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning hypertension during pregnancy. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among health workers working in maternity units in a tertiary care hospital. The study participants included doctors, nurses, and midwives. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on their knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding hypertension during pregnancy. The questionnaire was developed based on a review of the literature and was validated by experts in the field. Results: A total of 212 health workers participated in the study. A total of 212 subjects participated in the study, only 200 were finalised for the study as 12 were disqualified as they didn’t complete all the questions. The mean age was 35.23±12.27 years, majority were women, Undergraduate, <5 years and nurses. The results showed that the overall knowledge of health workers regarding hypertension during pregnancy was satisfactory with nearly 60% giving positive answers. In terms of attitudes, the majority of health workers (90%) perceived importance of hypertension during pregnancy. Concerning practices, most health workers (80%) did Screening for hypertension during pregnancy. However, only a half proportion of health workers (50%) reported referring women with hypertension during pregnancy to higher levels of care. Conclusion: This study provides insight into the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of health workers concerning hypertension during pregnancy. The findings suggest that there is a need for continued education and training for health workers to ensure optimal care for women with hypertension during pregnancy.

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