Abstract:
BACKGROUND: For continuity and quality of care, accurate record-keeping is crucial. Complete
care is facilitated by completing a child’s Road to Health Booklet (RTHB) as well as prompt
interpretation and appropriate action. This could result in a decrease in child morbidity
and mortality.
AIM: The study was aimed at assessing the completeness of the RTHB of children younger
than 5 years.
SETTING: Temba Community Health Centre (CHC), Tshwane District, South Africa.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a data collection sheet adopted from
previous studies.
RESULTS: Children less than 1-year-old accounted for 70.2% of the 255 RTHBs. The mean ±
s.d. age was 11.5 ±10.76 months. The study finding showed no section was 100% fully
completed. Of the 255 records studied, 38 (14.9%) human immunodeficiency virus
(HIV)-exposed babies were recorded at birth, 39.5% were negative at 6 weeks and 60.5%
were not recorded. Ninety-one (35.7%) children were unexposed. The HIV status of 126
(49.4%) children was not recorded. Sixty-six per cent (66%) of recorded maternal syphilis
was negative. Immunisations, weight-for-age, neonatal information, and details of the
family and child were fully completed in 80% of the booklets. Developmental screening was
17.2% completed, and oral health was 1.6% partially completed. The overall completeness
was 40.3%.
CONCLUSION: The completeness of RTHBs was found to be suboptimal.
CONTRIBUTION: The present study’s findings should serve as a reminder that healthcare
practitioners must complete RTHBs in their totality in order to improve continuity and care
quality, as the results indicated that RTHB completion was below ideal.