Assegid, Meselech (MPH, PhD candidate)Seifu, Abiy (MPH)Zenebe, Seble2021-02-112023-11-052021-02-112023-11-052020-12http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/25060Introduction: Neonatal period is the first 28 days of life; they face highest risk of death during this time. Global rate of neonatal mortality rate is 19 deaths/1000 births. One of the prevention method which could decrease neonatal mortality is postnatal care to mother and baby after birth up to 6weeks.Worldwide, about one third of the neonates use postnatal care, while its utilization coverage in Ethiopia is very low. Knowledge of the neonatal danger sign is one of important factor for utilization of neonatal postnatal care. Objective -The aim of this particular study was to determine the association between maternal knowledge of neonatal danger signs and postnatal care service utilization of neonate. Method: Community based cross-sectional study using quantitative method was conducted at Butajira Ethiopia. A total of 523 mothers who had given birth before one year were selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected using a pre-tested structured intervieweradministered questionnaire. The data were entered using Epi-data v-4.4.3.1 and export to STATA14 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were done to assess the association between knowledge of neonatal danger signs and utilization of postnatal care of neonate and P-value < 0.05 was used to declare the statistical significance. Result -Postnatal care service utilization of neonates was 78.1% and maternal knowledge of neonatal danger signs were 15.8%. Place of residence [AOR=4.54, 95%CI (1.23-16.77)], place of delivery [AOR=26.9,95% CI (11.5-63.37)] and wealth index [AOR=8.13,95%CI (1.49 - 44.29)] had significant association with postnatal care utilization of neonates with in the first three days. However, mothers’ knowledge of neonatal danger sign had no significant association with postnatal care utilization in the first three days [COR= 0.8,95% CI (0.45 - 1.42)]. Conclusion - In this study mothers’ knowledge of neonatal danger sign hadn’t shown association with neonatal postnatal care service utilization. Mothers in urban areas were found to utilize more neonatal postnatal care service than rural and mothers who had facility delivery were also found to utilize more than those with no facility birth. Strengthen and improve neonatal service provision in rural communities and also encouraging facility delivery is important.en-USMaternal knowledge,neonatal danger signs , postnatal care,neonatal services,mothersThesis