Knowledge, Attitude and Use of Obstetric Analgesia in Labor Pain Management AmongProfessionals in Dessie Referral Hospital, North Ethiopia. A Hospital Based Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Back ground: - Labor pain is the most severe form of pain in women life. Delivery of the infant into the arms of pain-free mother is the most exciting and rewarding moment in maternal care services.

Objective: - To assess Knowledge, Attitude and Utilizationof Obstetric Analgesia in Labor Pain Management among professionals in Dessie Referral Hospital, Northeast Ethiopia.

Method: - Institution based descriptive cross sectional study was conducted in Dessie referral hospitalfrom May 1-15/2016. There were 102 obstetric care givers in the hospital and all of them were included in the study. Descriptive analysis was done by using tables, frequency, mean, standard deviation and percentage.

Result: -Only28.6% of respondents used obstetric analgesia. 37% and28.4% of respondents had adequate knowledge and positive attitude respectively.75.9% say analgesia should be given for every laboringmother. 59.4% of respondents believe that pharmacologic obstetric analgesia had bad effect on labour progress and outcome. The worst effects mentioned by respondents were delay progress of labour (44.4%), Fetal Distress (34%) and increase Cesarean Delivery (30%).

Conclusion and recommendation: knowledge and utilization of obstetric analgesia were very low.Only quarter of professionals had positive attitude. Providers need to update themselves and be familiar with obstetric analgesia. The utilization and associated factors of obstetric analgesia need to be investigated.

Key words: - Obstetric analgesia, Knowledge, Attitude, utilization, Ethiopia.