ArticleGlobal health action2025
Community-based follow-up of very low birth weight neonates discharged from a regional hospital in Cape Town: a descriptive study.
Article in Global health action, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Survival, Mortality Predictors, and Morbidity in Extremely Low Birth Weight Neonates: A Retrospective Cohort Study at a Tertiary Hospital in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Community-based follow-up of very low birth weight neonates discharged from a regional hospital in Cape Town: a descriptive study.Global health action · 2025Article
- Global, regional, and national burden of neonatal sepsis and other neonatal infections attributable to low birth weight: a systematic analysis of deaths, and DALYs with predictions to 2031.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2025Article
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3 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundNeonatal mortality remains a global health concern. In South Africa, 32% of under-five mortality consists of neonates, with 48% of neonatal deaths attributed to prematurity. The Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) aim to reduce deaths of very low birth weight (VLBW) neonates through community health worker (CHW) home visits.
objectivesThis study aimed to describe a cohort of VLBW neonates discharged from a regional hospital including their community follow-up, clinical outcomes and caregivers' perceptions of the HCBS.
methodsThis was a descriptive mixed methods study. Routine hospital health information from 1 January to 31 December 2018 was analysed to describe the cohort. The referral pathway and follow-up were assessed through stakeholder meetings and analysing referral forms. Caregivers were interviewed for HCBS data.
resultsThere were 169 VLBW neonates. The mean (SD) gestational age was 30 (±2.21) weeks, and the median (IQR) birthweight was 1210 g (1045-1390 g). At delivery, 85% had respiratory distress and 64% had presumed sepsis. Maternal characteristics included primigravida deliveries (15%), smoking (11%), alcohol use (9%) and teenage pregnancy (5%); 14% required social worker referral. Folder reviews showed referral plans for 49 (43.4%); however, 20 (17.7%) forms were received by HCBS. All five of the interviewed caregivers had positive perceptions of the HCBS.
conclusionThis study demonstrated a high burden of medically and socially vulnerable VLBW neonates discharged from a regional hospital. Even with established HCBS systems, few VLBW neonates were followed up at home. For the HCBS to be fully effective, promotion, strengthening and monitoring of the referral system are required.
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