ASSESSMENT OF CLINICAL CONSTRAINTS TO ENDING PREVENTABLE DEATHS OF NEWBORNS AS PERCEIVED BY COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS IN NORTH EAST ZONE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess clinical constraints to ending preventable deaths of newborn as
perceived by community health workers in North east zone, Nigeria. An ex-post facto research design was
used to study 450 respondents drawn from three states of North east zone, Nigeria. A multistage sampling
was used to draw the required sample. A questionnaire titled “questionnaire for community health
workers of North east zone, Nigeria” was used to obtain information from the respondents. Data
collected for this study were analyzed using SPSS Version 25.0. Descriptive statistics of mean and
standard deviation and inferential statistics of t-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used for all
tests of significance. One research question was asked and one hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of
significance. Findings showed that, Community health workers were of the perception that clinical
constraints to ending preventable deaths of newborn in North East Zone, Nigeria are significant (P=
0.00). It was concluded that the identified clinical constraints to ending preventable deaths of newborn as
perceived by community health workers in north east zone, Nigeria are the constraints to face in
providing solutions. The researcher recommended that there is need for periodic training and retraining
of community health workers to improve their skills in providing technical approaches towards ending
preventable deaths of newborns and also implementing strategic solutions by health agencies and the
states on clinical constraints to ending preventable deaths of newborn, likewise provision of medical
supplies and clinical equipment.