Guidance on the 2024 Revised Maternal and Child Health Handbook: Effectiveness among Health Workers

Abstract

Abstract

Background: The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Handbook has been updated to a revised 2024 edition. Ensuring that health workers comprehensively understand and correctly implement these updates is crucial for maintaining the quality of maternal and child health services. This initiative aligns with the ongoing success of the MCH program in Bukittinggi City, which is evidenced by increased antenatal care visits and a low Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR), attributable to effective counseling, routine examinations, and comprehensive health monitoring.

Objective: To assess the knowledge of health workers in Bukittinggi City regarding the correct procedures for filling out the 2024 revised version of the MCH handbook.

Methods: This observational study employed a pre and post-test design and involved all health workers responsible for the MCH program in Bukittinggi City. A total sampling technique was used, recruiting 48 participants comprising doctors and midwives from across the city's healthcare facilities. A paired sample t-test was conducted to evaluate the impact of the guidance session on the health workers' knowledge.

Results: Prior to the guidance session, the majority of health workers (77.09%) demonstrated only sufficient knowledge of the revised handbook, with only 14.58% categorized as having good knowledge. Post-guidance results revealed a significant improvement: the majority of participants (83.33%) achieved a good knowledge level, and no participants remained in the poor category. Statistical analysis further confirmed a positive and significant correlation between pre-test and post-test scores (r = 0.423, p = 0.003), indicating that participants with higher baseline knowledge tended to achieve higher post-intervention scores.

Conclusions: The guidance session was highly effective in significantly improving health workers' knowledge of the 2024 revised MCH handbook. These findings underscore the importance of structured training for the successful implementation of updated health protocols.

Keywords: MCH handbook, health worker knowledge, antenatal visits, maternal mortality rate (MMR)