Table 4. Survival of Neonates Stratified by the Subjective Severity of Illness Rating Assigned by the Referring TBA (N = 185)a
OutcomeSeverity Rating, n/N (%)
Not sickModerately sickExtremely sick
Died3/49 (6.1%)6/113 (5.3%)11/23 (47.8%)
Survived46/49 (93.9%)107/113 (94.7%)12/23 (52.2%)
Total49/185 (26.5%)113/185 (61.1%)23/185 (12.4%)b
  • Abbreviation: TBA, traditional birth attendant.

  • a A total of 208 neonates were referred; TBAs provided a severity assessment for 185 of the 208 neonates (88.9%). Data for analysis relates only to the final referral if the infant was referred more than once given that an infant referred twice could not possibly have died during the first referral event.

  • b Chi square = 37.3 with 2 df, P< .001; comparing “extremely sick” vs. combined (“not sick” and “moderately sick”), RR of fatal outcome = 8.61, 95% CI = 4.0–18.5.