Relationship Between Maternal Health Literacy and Early Postnatal Health Outcome: Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64960/srimedj.v40i6.268826Keywords:
health literacy, maternal health, neonatal health outcomesAbstract
Background and Objective: Health literacy significantly impact maternal and neonatal outcomes. Neonates of mothers with low health literacy face increased risks of complications and poor postpartum health. To assess maternal health literacy levels and examine their association with early postpartum neonatal health outcomes.
Methods: A cross-section study was conducted among 148 postpartum mothers (with neonates aged 1-3 days) at Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital between May and June 2025. Participants were selected through systematic random sampling, a probability-based sampling technique. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ordinal logistic regression.
Results: Mothers demonstrated moderate health literacy levels (OR = 3.41, p = 0.020). Factors associated with favorable neonatal outcomes included marital status (OR = 9.14, p = 0.037), government/private employment (OR = 15.57, p = 0.020), online work (OR = 139.49, p = 0.002). In Contrast, maternal obesity was significantly inversely associated with favorable neonatal outcomes (OR 0.36, p=0.033).
Conclusion: Mothers with moderate health literacy were more likely to have favorable neonatal health outcomes in the early postpartum period compared to those with low health literacy. Marital status, occupation, and body mass index were associated with neonatal health outcomes. These finding highlight the need to develop health literacy promotion interventions for mothers, taking into account sociodemographic factors, to enhance neonatal health outcomes in the early postpartum.
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