Institutional based cross-sectional study design was conducted from January-June, 2016 in central zone public health facilities of Tigray region. Central zone have 54 public health centers and 6 hospitals with 210 midwives working there.
A sample of 150 currently working midwives was included in the study. The
sample size was determined using single population proportion formula. It was computed by considering 50% (p = 0.5) prevalence of knowledge and practice, 95 % CI, and 5% margin of error. This resulted in 150 sample size after including 10% for non-response rate. Correction formula was used since the source population was less than the sampled population.
All public health facilities were included in the study. Final study subject was selected using convenience sampling method and midwives working in health facilities during the data collection time were included in the study.
Structured questionnaire was adapted with modification from different related literatures (1, 8, 11, 12, and 13). Observation checklist was adopted from save the children international [14]. The questionnaire and checklist were prepared first in English then translated to Tigrigna and retranslation to English. Questionnaire was pre-tested on 5% of the same source population other than the sampled population. Based on the pre-test, questions were revised, edited, and those found to be unclear or confusing were modified. Finally, structured closed ended Tigrigna version questionnaire was used for data collection. Moreover, checklist was used to assess immediate new care practice of the midwives.
Data was collected by face to face interview and non-participatory observations. Data collectors were 5 BSc Midwives. They were trained for two days on the study instrument and data collection procedures. Additionally, two BSc Nurses, and assisted the data collectors.
Operational definition
Knowledge: Refers to the knowledge response of midwives to the structured questions on the steps of new-born care, that is good knowledge when they respond correctly to >75 % of the knowledge questions (>8 steps), fair knowledge respond to 51–74% (5–8 steps) and poor knowledge respond to<50% (<5 steps) of the 10 cares given to immediately born baby.
Practice: Refers to the performance of midwives according to prepared checklist regarding new-born care. If the midwives performed the task at least 50% or above median (Responded >20 questions) of the steps in the checklists was considered as practiced, and not practiced if performed 50% or below median (< = 20 questions) of the tasks in the checklists.
The collected data was entered in to SPSS version 21.0. Variables with p-value less than 0.3 on bivariate analysis were entered in to the multivariable analysis and adjusted odds ratio with 95% CI was used to ascertain the association between dependent and independent variables. The level of significance was taken at α <0.05. Finally, result was presented in texts, and tables.
Ethical clearance and approval was obtained from research ethics committee of department of nursing and midwifery, Addis-Ababa University. Official cooperation letter was written from Tigray health bureau to each woreda health office and written permission was obtained from each respondents.