DETERMINATION OF HEALTH WORKERS, HEALTH FACILITY, AND HEALTH-RELATED FACTORS AFFECTING PROPER WOUND MANAGEMENT BY HEALTH WORKERS ATTENDING TO CAESAREAN SECTION MOTHERS SEEKING HEALTH SERVICES IN MUKONO GENERAL HOSPITAL MUKONO DISTRICT. A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.

Abstract

Background:

Wound management is a critical component of post-operative care particularly for mothers recovering from caesarean sections. Proper wound care can significantly impact recovery times, reduce infection risk, and improve maternal health outcomes. However, the effectiveness of wound management is influenced by many factors including health workers, health facilities, and health-related variables. Therefore, this study seeks to determine the health worker, health facility, and health-related factors affecting proper wound management by health workers attending cesarean section mothers seeking health services in Mukono General Hospital Mukono District.

Methodology:

A descriptive cross-sectional study was used with a purposive sampling method to select 30 study participants. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data being analyzed using Microsoft Excel and presented using tables, figures, graphs, and charts.

Results:

The study findings on health worker-related factors were that 17(56.7%) were certificate holders, 20(66.7%) rarely washed their hands during cesarean section incision site care and 24(80%) reported a shortage of time. Health facility-related factors included; 16(53.3%) reporting the absence of policies about wound care at the unit, 24(80%) never received supervision during wound care, and 28(93.3%) reporting the absence of guidelines on wound management. Patient-related factors; 21(70%) reported patients weighing above 75 kilograms, 17(56.7%) reported diabetes and 16(69.6%) reported alcohol intake was challenging with wound healing. 

Conclusion:

Factors that affected proper wound management health workers, health facilities, and health-related factors consisted of low academic qualification, inconsistent hand washing, shortage of time, absence of policies, supervision, guidelines, and training, high body weight, alcohol intake, comorbidities especially diabetes, herb medicine use and absence of support from family members.

Recommendation:

Stakeholders should improve the quality of health facility management systems and sensitize mothers about appropriate cesarean wound care.