Kangaroo mother care: Understanding community low birth weight baby care perceptions and practices for designing appropriate community based KMC implementation package: a formative research. (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Low birth weight (LBW) is a common outcome of preterm birth and increases the risk of an infant’s morbidity and mortality. About 20 million infants are born with low birth weight globally. Since a significant number of births in Pakistan take place at home, it is important to focus on the use of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) (skin-to-skin contact) in communities to prevent neonatal mortality and morbidity. OBJECTIVE We conducted a formative research in order to understand the context of communities and facilities with regards to neonatal care and KMC practice, inform the design and delivery of culturally appropriate platforms to introduce KMC in communities, and develop effective recruitment and retention strategies of KMC, in rural areas of district Dadu, in the Sindh province. METHODS We conducted focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and key informant interviews with families of LBW babies, community members, healthcare providers and hospital administrators to identify barriers, enablers and a knowledge base for KMC interventions. RESULTS Newborn care practices in communities were subpar. Although KMC practices are not commonly practiced in communities and facilities and the method is unknown to many, family members were willing to provide KMC to LBW babies to improve their health outcomes. Community members, hospital administrators and healthcare providers widely accepted the practice for neonatal health and found it feasible and convenient. CONCLUSIONS The KMC as a method of treating low birth weight babies is widely accepted in the community. This formative research provided strategically effective ways for developing effective implementation strategies by identifying common community practices for LBW babies, and barriers and enablers to KMC practice.