TITLE:
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Neonatal Danger Signs among Mothers in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Senegal
AUTHORS:
Djibril Boiro, Ndeye Fatou Sow, Amadou Sow, Aminata Mbaye, Anne Marie Halina, Ndiogou Seck, Aliou Abdoulaye Ndongo, Modou Guèye, Ousmane Ndiaye
KEYWORDS:
Neonatal Danger Signs, Knowledge Attitudes and Practices (KAP), Newborn Health, Maternal Education, Senegal, Tertiary Care
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.16 No.1,
January
23,
2026
ABSTRACT: Background: Neonatal mortality remains a critical public health challenge in Senegal. The early recognition of danger signs by caregivers is a major determinant of neonatal survival. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of mothers regarding neonatal danger signs and to identify factors associated with knowledge levels in a tertiary care hospital in Dakar. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study from September 18, 2023, to March 19, 2024, at the Centre Hospitalier Abass NDAO (Level 3). The study included 200 mothers of neonates aged 0 - 28 days attending postnatal consultations or hospitalization units. Data were collected via structured face-to-face interviews. Knowledge was classified as good, satisfactory, or poor based on WHO criteria. Associations were tested using the Chi-square test with a significance level of p Results: Of the 200 mothers interviewed, the majority were educated (91%) and had attended more than three antenatal care (ANC) visits (88.5%). However, 63% demonstrated poor knowledge of danger signs. Only 6.4% reported receiving specific information on these signs from healthcare providers. While fever (69%) and refusal to breastfeed (38%) were frequently identified, specific signs such as jaundice, lethargy, and convulsions were poorly recognized. Paradoxically, higher education, age 20 - 30 years, and high ANC attendance were significantly associated with poor knowledge (p Conclusion: Despite favorable sociodemographic characteristics and high healthcare utilization, maternal knowledge of neonatal danger signs remains suboptimal in this setting. These findings highlight a systemic gap between the quantity of care accessed and the quality of health education delivered. Systemic integration of targeted counseling on danger signs into the perinatal continuum of care is imperative to improve early detection and reduce neonatal mortality.