KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICESOF NURSES IN PROMOTING ANTENATALPHYSICALEXERCISES IN KAKAMEGA COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Antenatal physicalexercises have proven to be beneficial. Less than 50% of pregnant women worldwide meet exercise recommendations.Sixty-sevenpercent(67%) of deliveries in Kakamega County are conducted by a skilled provider (Nurse/midwife) and occur in tier 2 and 3 health facilities. Maternal mortality in Kakamega County is 316:100,000 live births.The main objective of the study wasto determine Nurses’/midwives' knowledge, attitude and practice in promoting antenatal physicalexercisesintiers 2 and 3 health facilities in Kakamega County.The researcher hypothesized that there would be no significant differences in knowledge levels of Nurses, their attitude and practices in tier 2 and 3 health facilities in Kakamega County as regards antenatal physicalexercises.It is hoped that the findings of this study will contribute to beyond zero campaign by the first lady of Kenya.A descriptive, cross-sectional study design was used with mixed methods. Data was collected using a questionnaire and an observation checklist.Multi-stage sampling was used.Purposive method (the only tier 3Public County hospital) and systematic sampling was used to select the study sites (the tier 2 Sub-county public hospitals and private hospital). Stratified proportionate probability sampling method was used to select the 209 nurses’/midwives. Data was organizedusing Statistical Package for Social Sciences software (SPSS version 25.0)and analyzed using descriptive statistics offrequency, percentage, mean and standard deviations. Hypothesis was tested using ANOVA.The results showed that Nurses had limited knowledge164 (78.9%), good attitudes 202 (98.1%) and poor practices, 1/5 themes (20%) according to Blooms cut of points in terms of promoting antenatal physicalexercises. On knowledge, masters group had the least mean of 17.67, SD=1.53 and CI=13.9-21.5 while othersgroup had the highest mean of 19.5,SD=6.24 and CI=9.6-29.4. There was no significant difference in knowledge among Nurses P=0.784,np2=0.05),attitudes were different at (P=<0.001,np2 =0.225),there was significant association between knowledge and practice (r=0.156, p=0.026) but there was no association between attitude and practice towards antenatal physicalexercises (r=0.25, p=0.934).On multiple regression, knowledge was a better predictor of promoting antenatal exercises (p=0.036) than attitude. The study concluded that, nurses have a good attitude in promoting antenatal physicalexercises in Kakamega County,however the low knowledge affects their practice towards the same. The study therefore recommends dissemination of guidelines on antenatal physicalexercises for better maternal outcomes.