Establishing the Knowledge of Health Information among Adolescent Postpartum Mothers in Rural Communities in the Denkyembour District, Ghana

Purpose: The aim was to find out the knowledge of health information among adolescent postpartum mothers and their perceptions on how libraries can help in “ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all”.

Methodology: A hospital-based case-control study was conducted between September 2017 and October 2017. One hundred and one (101) participants were involved in this study. They included Fifty-three (53) adolescents and Forty-eight (48) adult postpartum mothers who were receiving postnatal services at the Takrowase, Kusi and Wenchi Health Centres in the Denkyembour District of the Eastern Region, Ghana. Questionnaire was used as the tool for data collection.

Findings: All respondents in the case group 53(100.00%) and majority of the control group 47(97.92%) exhibited poor knowledge of libraries with majority of them having negative perceptions for the roles libraries play in disseminating health information. The need for information on “baby-related” and “health-related” issues was high among the study population, and there was no clearly identified source of information. However, the oral medium for information dissemination was highly acknowledged by the case group 51(96.23%) and the control group 47(97.92%).

Conclusion: Lack of awareness of libraries and their role in disseminating health information was the general view among the study population. Extension of library services to vulnerable people, particularly, adolescent postpartum mothers in rural communities will help make them information conscious, and it will help eradicate some basic health challenges faced by these women.