Assessment of Risk Factors of Congenital Hypothyroidism and Impact of Patient Counselling On Improving Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of the Disease In Post Natal Mothers-A Pilot Study

Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is one of the most common endocrine disorders and one of the causes of congenital mental disability, which can be prevented in the case of early diagnosis and treatment. The only effective way to diagnose CH is screening by laboratory methods, such as thyroid- stimulating hormone (TSH) or free thyroxine (T4) measurement. The study was carried out in 15 babies who was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and their mothers from neonatology department of tertiary care hospital at thiruvananthapurm. Informed consent was obtained. Details were collected using specially designed proforma. Risk factors were assessed through information which were collected from case records and through direct interview with caregivers. Questionnaire for assessing knowledge, attitude and practice were given to post natal mothers. Knowledge ,attitude and practice before and after counselling is obtained. A total of 15 babies with congenital hypothyroidism and their mothers fulfilling the study criteria were included. Risk factors were assessed using ANOVA. Using paired t-test, statistical analysis clearly depicts that there is a significant improvement in knowledge, attitude and practice of congenital hypothyroidism in post natal mothers as well as combined with significant p-value <0.001. From this study it is concluded that most of the post natal mothers of babies with congenital hypothyroidism had shown a considerable improvement in  knowledge ,attitude and practice of the disease after counselling. Pharmacist intervention in the form of counselling is hence an integral factor in improving the knowledge, attitude and practice of congenital hypothyroidism in post natal mothers. And the most common  risk factors were mother’s age, preterm delivery, maternal hypothyroidism, multiple pregnancies, medication during pregnancy, gender