Capacity of nurses and midwives for early identification of developmental delays among children in a Ghanaian rural district

Abstract

: Early identification of developmental delays provides an opportunity for early intervention that improves the child’s growth and development. Primary healthcare providers have a basic responsibility for the early identification of developmental delays for intervention or referral to the appropriate specialist. However, the capacity of primary healthcare providers to identify children with developmental delays in the Wa West District of Ghana is unknown. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 113 primary healthcare providers working in various healthcare facilities in the Wa West district. The participants were obtained through a simple random sampling technique. Quantitative data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis. The results indicated that 87 (77.0%) participants found their training adequate for early identification of developmental delays. However, less than 10% of the participants reported having excellent knowledge on the use of tools for early identification. While an average of 77.1% of the participants showed knowledge in the areas of a child’s medical history-taking, the diet of the child 65 (57.5%) was cited as least important. Also, an average of 67.6% of participants responded accurately to questions seeking their knowledge on screening. However, few 30 (26.5%) participants knew that not all screening results are always accurate. Higher education and work experience appear influential on participants’ knowledge on various areas of early identification of developmental delays. In conclusion, gaps in participants’ knowledge on areas of early identification of developmental delays could lead to late identification, hence limiting the child’s development and outcome of intervention services.

Keywords:

• Primary healthcare
• capacity
• developmental delays
• early identification
• Ghana

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

Children with disabilities are among the world's most-deprived people with many unmet healthcare needs especially in rural or poorer nations. Early identification and intervention of disabling health conditions improves health outcomes, growth, and development. A quantitative study was conducted among primary care providers in a rural district of Ghana to assess their capacity for childhood impairments’ identification. An average of 77.1% of the participants showed knowledge in areas of child’s medical history-taking, an average of 67.6% responded accurately on screening and less than 10% reported having excellent knowledge on the use of tools for early identification of impairments.

Authors’ contribution

HV and WKM designed the study and wrote proposal for ethical clearance. HV, WKM, and EA wrote the study background, the methodological approach, and designed the tool for data collection. Data collection and entry was done by JJM and HV. Data were analyzed by EA-B supported by WKM. EA wrote the manuscript with support from JJM and revised by EA-B and WKM. All authors read the final manuscript.

Acknowledgments

We are most grateful to the Business Council for Africa (BCA) UK, especially Mr Clive Carpenter and Mr David Lamp for their support. We are also grateful to Janet Mary Kirk, UK, and the Wa West district health director for his immense contribution.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

Data are not available for online access; however, readers may contact Hasehni Vampere via [email protected] for the dataset.

Additional information

Funding

Funding support was received from the Business Council for Africa (BCA) UK

Notes on contributors

Hasehni Vampere

Hasehni Vampere is a MPhil graduate from the department of health promotion and disability studies, School of public health, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi-Ghana

Wisdom Kwadwo Mprah

Wisdom Kwadwo Mprah is a senior lecturer and head of department; department of health promotion and disability studies, School of public health, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi-Ghana

Enoch Acheampong

Enoch Acheampong a lecturer at the department of health promotion and disability studies, School of public health, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi-Ghana

Emmanuel Appiah-Brempong

Emmanuel Appiah-Brempong is a senior lecturer at the department of health promotion and disability studies, School of public health, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi-Ghana

Joseph Jenkins Mensah

Joseph Jenkins Mensah is a MPhil graduate from the department of health promotion and disability studies, School of public health, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi-Ghana