Health-Seeking Behaviours Of Mothers Of Babies With Neonatal Jaundice In The Winneba Community

ABSTRACT Introduction: Hyperbilirubinemia is a common neonatal condition and in most instances, a benign problem in infants. It occurs in close to 60 percent of all term babies worldwide. In Ghana, neonatal jaundice was found to be part of the top five causes of neonatal mortality. In the Trauma and Specialist Hospital, Winneba, it was the sixth most common cause of admission and the seventh most common cause of death in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Methods: This qualitative case study assesses the health-seeking behaviours of mothers with babies diagnosed of neonatal jaundice in the Winneba community. A purposive sampling technique was used to select 24 mothers of neonatal jaundiced babies admitted at the Trauma and Specialist Hospital, Winneba. Data was collected through in-depth interviews from selected participants using an interview guide and analysed thematically guided by NVivo Qualitative Analysis Software version 12. Results: The study revealed that health seeking behaviour pathway of mothers were affected by their perception of the severity of the illnesses, their knowledge of the condition and the perception of the appropriate source of care. The hospital was the main care source to treat neonatal jaundice. Hospital choice depended on the supportive roles of their husbands. The financial disposition of the family dictated the choice of care and support from neighbours and relatives for household chores helped participants to seek for medical assistance. Delays in taking the babies to the hospital was due to poor knowledge of mothers on symptoms of neonatal jaundice. Conclusion: Implications are that delays in seeking health care for neonatal jaundice can be curtailed with policy reforms and adequate public education. This will reduce the mortality rate and burden of complications associated with neonatal jaundice.