Health Assessment of Newborns by CAN Score: A Comprehensive Study

Newborns health and survival is closely associated with maternal health and also an important indicator for health status of general population. The aim of research is to assess health status of newborns by CAN score and to explore the influence of maternal socio economic factors on newborns health. For the present study, Lakhanpur and Jharsuguda Block of Jharsuguda district of Odisha was selected as study area. 300 newborns were selected randomly for the present study and socio demographic characteristic of mothers was studied with the help o fself modified UdaiPareek scale. The results of the study revealed that the 64.29% newborns born to the mothers having less than 20 year of age. 56.07% malnourished newborns belonged to lower caste mother followed by scheduled caste mothers i.e 55.81% . It was clearly observed that less number of malnourished newborns belonged to the mother who had graduation and above educational qualification. The incidents of giving birth to malnourished babies were more among the mothers who work within home. Highest malnourished newborns(60.91%) found among mothers having family income Rs 10353 – 15535/-per month . The 64.29% malnourished newborns belonged to mothers having class-IV socio-economic status. Statistically a strong association was observed between maternal education , occupation, monthly income, socio economic class with health status of newborns according to CAN score.