Audit of well-baby care in primary health care centers in Buraidah, Saudi Arabia

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the quality of utilization and documentation of the required process of well-baby care (WBC) visits and immunizations in primary health care centers (PHCCs).

METHODS: Ten PHCCs were randomly selected. Of the average annual 7000 registered births, 350 children who had completed their fifth birthday were selected. All registered children who were born during 2 randomly selected months were included. Data were collected in Buraidah city, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's PHCCs by the investigators from March to December 2005. Data were extracted from children's files, and well-baby and annual vaccination registers using a pre-designed form based on the Quality Assurance and Maternal and Child Health Care Manual of the Saudi Ministry of Health.

RESULTS: Half of children were males, and most were Saudis. Pregnancy and delivery history were available in >90%, while that of neonatal history was available in 74.3%. Nutritional status was available in 96.3% of the files, but only 37.8% of them had the duration of breast feeding recorded. Number of children's visit to WBC clinics lessens as they grow older, >90% for infants, and less than one third for toddlers. Growth charts were completed in more than 90% of the files. All children completed the first year Expanded Program on Immunization schedule (up to date), and more than 75% of them were age-appropriately-immunized.

CONCLUSION: The utilization level of WBC visits is lower than recommended. Careful well organized continuous field training of staff and parents' education programs are needed.