| Summary: | Introduction: Neonatal sepsis is one of the principal causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality. In spite of interventions with different preventive methods, the burden of neonatal sepsis is being reported in different parts of Ethiopia. For further interventions, identifying its determinants is found to be essential. Objective: The study aimed to assess the determinants of neonatal sepsis among neonates delivered in Southwest Ethiopia in 2018. Methods: A hospital-based case-control study was conducted in Southwest Ethiopia from May 2018 to August 2018. Systematic random sampling technique was used to select study participants; Cases were neonates diagnosed with sepsis and controls were neonates without sepsis. Data were entered into Epi info version 7.2 and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23. Bi-variable logistic regression was used to identify determinants of neonatal sepsis and those variables with a p-value < 0.05 in the multivariable logistic regression analysis were considered as significantly associated at a 95% confidence interval. Results: The findings from the multivariable logistic regression revealed that history of meconium-stained amniotic fluid (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 9.2 [1.1, 19.8]), history of foul-smelling liquor (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 5.2 [1.2, 22.3]), history of maternal sexually transmitted infection/urinary tract infection (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval[ = 4.7 [1.1, 19.7]), history of vascular catheter (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 4.7 [1.11, 20]), and low birth weight (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 5.3 [1.3, 28.9]) were identified as determinants of neonatal sepsis. Conclusion: Generally, history of meconium-stained amniotic fluid, foul-smelling liquor, maternal history of the sexually transmitted disease, urinary tract infection, low birth weight, and the vascular catheter was identified as determinants of neonatal sepsis. Health education should be provided for pregnant mothers regarding health care-seeking behavior. Similarly, diagnoses and care should be accessible on time for foul-smelling liquor, premature rupture of membrane, and low birth weight.
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