Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40840977›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2025

Postnatal care utilisation and health beliefs among mothers in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study.

Ahmed Abdallah Altraifi, Osama Albasheer, Siddig Ibrahim Abdelwahab, Uma Chourasia, Maha Murtada Abdelmageed, Ahlam Mohammed Hakami, Ali Hassan Khormi, Isameldin Elamin Medani, Suhaila A Ali, Seham A Habeeb and 5 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Ahmed Abdallah AltraifiDepartment of Obstetrics and gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Osama AlbasheerDepartment of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia drosama802@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5115-6182
Siddig Ibrahim AbdelwahabHealth Research Centre, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Uma ChourasiaDepartment of Obstetrics and gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Maha Murtada AbdelmageedDepartment of Obstetrics and gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Ahlam Mohammed HakamiDepartment of Obstetrics and gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Ali Hassan KhormiDepartment of Obstetrics and gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Isameldin Elamin MedaniDepartment of Obstetrics and gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Suhaila A AliDepartment of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Seham A HabeebPublic Health Department, MOH, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Ghareeba Ahmed ShebalyICU Department, MOH, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Mosbah Mohammed SomailyPrimary Health Care, MOH, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Samyah Mohamed HarshanPrimary Health Care, MOH, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Sirdab Maram AliPrimary Health Care, MOH, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Sharifah Hamoud HukmaPrimary Health Care, MOH, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe postnatal period is critical for preventing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Globally, a significant proportion of maternal and neonatal deaths occur within the first 6 weeks after delivery. Timely and adequate postnatal care (PNC) can detect and manage life-threatening complications; however, service utilisation remains alarmingly low in many low- and middle-income countries, including Saudi Arabia. Addressing the behavioural and perceptual factors that influence service use is essential for improving health outcomes.

objectivesThis study aimed to assess mothers' utilisation of PNC services and examine how their health beliefs and sociodemographic characteristics influence this behaviour.

designA cross-sectional study guided by the Health Belief Model (HBM) was conducted to explore predictors of PNC utilisation.

settingEight primary healthcare (PHC) centres were randomly selected from 179 PHC centres distributed in the different governorates of the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia.

participantsA total of 464 mothers were surveyed between October and December 2023 using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was PNC utilisation, defined by the number of postnatal visits. The independent variables included sociodemographic characteristics and HBM constructs (perceived susceptibility, benefits, barriers and cues to action).

resultsIn terms of PNC utilisation, 80.0% of participants had two or fewer postnatal visits, whereas 20.0% had three or more postnatal visits. Perceived barriers had the strongest influence (mean score 2.51±0.87), followed by cues to action (2.43±0.89), susceptibility (1.92±0.72) and benefits (1.86±0.64). In the multivariate analysis, perceived barriers, cues to action and perceived susceptibility were significantly associated with PNC utilisation, with adjusted ORs of 1.679 (95% CI: 1.007 to 2.799), 0.470 (95% CI: 0.256 to 0.863) and 0.405 (95% CI: 0.197 to 0.832), respectively.

conclusionsPNC utilisation in the Jazan region remains suboptimal. Perceptual factors, particularly barriers and cues to action, play a central role in service use. Health interventions targeting these beliefs and improving follow-up mechanisms may help increase PNC engagement and improve maternal and infant health outcomes in Saudi Arabia.

Indexed as

Health Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeMothersPatient Acceptance of Health CarePostnatal CareAdultCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansPrimary Health CareSaudi ArabiaSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultHealth ServicesMaternal medicinePostpartum WomenPrimary Health Care

Identifiers

PMID40840977
PMCPMC12374653

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.