KNOWLEDGE OF WOMEN OF CHILDBEARING AGE ON PREVENTION OF CEREBRAL PALSY AMONG CHILDREN IN IBADAN NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, OYO STATE

Abstract

Paediatric neurological disorders constitute a major reason for paediatric specialist care in Ibadan, Nigeria. Every hour, a child is a born with cerebral palsy (CP) which is a life- long physical disability caused by damaged of developing brain. The frequency of CP has not declined and giving attention to risk factors associated with an increased risk of CP might help to prevent its development. This study assessed the knowledge of women of childbearing age on the prevention of cerebral palsy among children in Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using a four stage sampling technique. Two hundred and eight respondents were selected from communities in six wards in Ibadan North LGA. A validated semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect information on knowledge of prevention of CP and risk factors predisposing children to the development of CP among women of childbearing age. Knowledge was assessed using 12 points scale, ≤3 were categorised as poor, ≤8 were categorised as fair while ≤ 12 were categorised as good. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and chi square test at P= 0.05 Respondents’ mean age was 31.03±7.69 years and most (93.8%) were married. Most (54.3%) were traders, 4.8% were civil servants, 26.4% were artisans. Majority of the respondents 73.1% were Yorubas, 20.7% were Hausas while 6.3% were Igbos. 38.5% of the respondents had primary education, 36.1% had secondary education, 13.9% had no formal education, while 11.5% attained tertiary education. A larger percentage (95.2%) of the respondents reported that they have heard about cerebral palsy. Majority of the respondents (66.5%) reported that they have not heard about the risk factors predisposing children to the development of cerebral palsy, (33.2%) said they have heard. Most respondents (63.5%) said cerebral palsy has no cure but can be managed, (28.4%) reported it can be cured since there is no impossibility with God. There is poor knowledge of prevention of cerebral palsy among women of childbearing age in Ibadan North LGA which has to do with predisposing factors that are associated with an increased risk of cerebral palsy development in children. It is therefore important that primary prevention through health education should be effectively communicated continuously to women of childbearing age during prenatal and postnatal healthcare delivery.