Table 1 Description of variables and measurement for the study, Jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia, September 2012-December 2013

Cluster (‘Kebele’)

The smallest administrative unit having about 5000 population on the average.

73 ‘Kebeles’ (clusters) identified by multistage sampling method were included in the study

Neonatal care practice

The minimum neonatal care package adapted from WHO having 12 items were used to create composite index (score) by using PCA.

The 12 items were measured in “Yes” or ‘No’ responses. Yes was given a value of ‘1’ and No was given ‘0’ to covert the categorical variables in to dummy variables. PCA was done to create composite index (score) which was a continuous variable.

1. Tetanus toxoid (TT) during Pregnancy

Vaccination given for mothers during ANC visit to prevent the mother and her child against Tetanus

Those who received at least 1 dose of TT were coded as ‘Yes =1’ and otherwise ‘No = 0’

2. Birth preparedness and complication readiness (BPCR)

A package of interventions composed of 5 variables (Planed to save money, planed to arrange transport, identified place of delivery, identified skilled attendant and identified blood donor)

Composite variable was computed by adding the five responses. Women who scored 3 or more ‘Yes’ responses were categorized as ‘prepared = 1’ and otherwise ‘not prepared = 0’

3. Antenatal care (ANC)

Having health facility visit for pregnancy check up by skilled attendants during pregnancy

Those who had at least one ANC visit were labeled as "Yes = 1" and otherwise ‘No = 0’

4. Information on neonatal care

Included 4questions: Information on self care, breast feeding, neonatal feeding and vaccination.

Mothers who received the 4 information were labeled as ‘Received adequate information = 1’ and otherwise ‘No adequate information = 0’

5. Skilled care at birth

The place where the neonate was born and the person who assisted the mother during delivery

Deliveries conducted in health facility (hospital or health centre) attended by skilled attendant (Those who have trained to the level of Diploma and above) were categorized as “skilled care = 1”, and deliveries conduced at home or anywhere outside a health facility attended by un skilled attendant (family members, TBAs/TTBAs and HEWs) were categorized as ‘Unskilled care = 0’

6. Social support during labor

Having accompanying person during labor

Those who had someone (family member/relative) with them during the time of labor and delivery were labeled as ‘have social support = 1’ and otherwise ‘No social support = 0’

7. Immediate thermal care

Protecting the newborn from hypothermia by covering with clean cloth and placing in skin-to-skin contact with the mother

Neonates wrapped with clean cloth and placed in skin-to-skin contact with the mother were labeled as ‘appropriate thermal care = 1’ and otherwise ‘Not appropriate thermal care = 0’.

8. Breast-feeding initiation

The time the newborn first feed breast milk

Those started within 1 hour of birth were labeled as ‘timely initiated = 1 ’ and otherwise ‘delayed initiation = 0’

9. Clean and safe cord care

Using clean instrument to cut and tie the cord and putting nothing on the umbilical stump.

If cut by clean material, tied by clean thread and nothing is put on the stamp, it was labeled as “clean/safe cord care = 1’ if any one of these was missing, it was labeled as ‘Non-clean cord care = 0.’

10. Exclusive breast feeding of neonate

Giving only breast milk in the first 28 days

Thos who were on breast milk only were labeled as ‘on exclusive breast milk = 1’ and who started anything, including plain water were labeled as ‘Not on exclusive breast milk = 0’.

11. Newborn bathing

Washing the newborn for the first time

Those who were washed after the first 6 hours of birth were labeled as “appropriate bathing = 1’ & otherwise ‘not = 0’.

12. Vaccine on date of birth

Includes BCG and polio-0 on the date of birth

Neonates who received the 2 vaccines were labeled as ‘received the vaccines on date of birth = 1’ if one of them was missing, it was labeled as ‘no appropriate immunization on date of birth = 0’