Investigating socioeconomic disparities of Kangaroo mother care on preterm infant health outcomes

Abstract

Several studies have been conducted to examine the complicated relationships between various factors that influence Kangaroo mother care (KMC) for preterm infants. However, the extended socio-economic model has not been seen in any of the previous studies that looked into the factors related to KMC and how it affects the health outcomes of babies born before in our study population. This study examines the various dimensions of KMC implementation and its influence on the health outcomes of premature infants. The current cross-sectional study was carried out in South Punjab, Pakistan, covering both private and public KMC units in obstetrics and gynecology departments. The study included a sample size of 719 patients and was conducted during a period covering 21 September 2022 to 14 October 2023. Multinomial logistic regression analysis is employed to ascertain the factors by using SPSS-26 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). The use of folic acid (OR: 1.44; 95% CI: 0.87–3.11) and factor anemia (OR: 8.82; 95% CI: 1.69–14.59) no significantly correlated with better health outcomes, while environmental toxin exposure had a negative impact (OR: 0.90). The findings underscore the need for comprehensive interventions and policies to bridge socioeconomic gaps, ensuring all preterm infants benefit from KMC.

Keywords:

• Kangaroo mother care
• obstetrics and gynecology
• quality of life
• preterm infant health outcomes
• socio-ecological model

Acknowledgements

In our pursuit of knowledge, we express our sincere gratitude to the perpetrated personnel of both public and private Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) units in the Muzaffargarh, DG Khan, and Bahawalpur District regions of South-Punjab, Pakistan. Their invaluable assist and constant encouragement were essential in facilitating this research. Additionally, we are grateful for the support and resources provided by our colleagues and institutions. The completion of this research has been facilitated by the collaborative endeavors of various both individuals and institutions, which improves our comprehension of the importance of Kangaroo Mother Care in the domain of preterm neonatal healthcare.

Author contributions

Muhammad Muneeb Hassan: The research project involved the conceptualization of an idea, the formulation and refinement of a theoretical framework, the implementation of coding techniques, the generation of graphical representations, the execution of computational analyses, and the final evaluation and endorsement of the version intended for publication. Muhammad Ameeq: Participates in coming up with ideas, gathering information, writing code, creating charts, and approving the final drafting for publication. M. H. Tahir: Participates in coming up with ideas, writing original article, analysis, gathering information, proof reading and approving the final drafting for publication. Sidra Naz: Participates in coming up with ideas, gathering information, writing code, creating charts, and approving the final drafting for publication. Laraib Fatima: Participates in coming up with ideas, gathering information, writing code, and approving the final drafting for publication. Alpha Kargbo: Participates in coming up with ideas, gathering information, writing code, creating charts, and approving the final drafting for publication. All authors contributed to interpreting data, drafting the manuscript and critically revising the manuscript for intellectual content; all authors approved of the published version.

Ethics statement

The Ethical Review Committee of Hospitals District Muzaffargarh, South-Punjab, Pakistan, approved 294710-14. The committee declared no objections and found no ethical issues with this research project on 16 October 2023.

Consent form

All participants involved in this study have provided their informed consent, confirming their willingness to have their information and outcomes published for research purposes without any reservations or concerns.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The corresponding author can provide access to the data, models and code that support the findings of this study.

Additional information

Funding

The study did not receive funding, and there have been no prior presentations or publications of the research, manuscript, or abstract.