Correlates of complementary feeding practice among caregivers of infants and young children aged 6-24 months at Mbagathi district hospital, Nairobi
Abstract
Background:
Complementary feeding practice is
a critical determinant of nutrition and
health outcomes in infancy and early childhood
and has
lifelong
repercussions
.
In Kenya,
compliance to
recommended complementary feeding practice has been shown to be low
despite adoption of high impact policies and guidelines.
Context specific correlates of
complementary
feeding practice must
be highlighted
as the first step
to
wards
address
ing
this
gap
Obj
ective:
T
o
identify the
correlates
of complementary feeding practices among caregivers
of infants and young children aged 6
-
24 Months at Mbagathi District Ho
spital.
Methodology:
A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted in the Paediatric outpatien
t
and Maternal and child health (MCH) clinics of Mbagathi district hospital
among caregivers
of infants and young children.
Simple random sampling was utilised to select 155 caregiver
-
infant dyads, allocated proportionately to the two clinics. Interviews w
ere conducted using a
standardised questionnaire that assessed for maternal socio demographics, infant and young
child characteristics, alternate caregiver and health care worker influence and infant and
young child feeding practices. A response rate of 10
0% was attained.
Results
:
Only 44%, 70.7% and 66.9% of the participants attained minimum dietary diversity,
minimum meal frequency and timely introduction to complementary feeds respectively.
Correlates of dietary diversity included: maternal education lev
el P= 0.018, occupation P=
0.012, being in
or having ever been in
a marital union, and healthcare worker support in
infant and young child feeding P= 0.017. Dietary diversity improved with the household
wealth index, maternal employment, level of education
and health education on nutritional
composition. Health care workers were the main source of information on complementary
feeding while alternate caregivers were key care providers. Previous maternal experience and
xiv
presence of an immediately older sibling
was shown to influence complementary feeding
practice. Diarrhoea was the most prevalent nutrition related morbidity affecting 58.2% of the
infants with an average frequency of 2 episodes per child.
Conclusion
and recommendations
:
The study shows low compl
iance to WHO
recommended complementary feeding practice. Interventions should focus on improving
maternal socio economic status and education level and enhancing capacity in health care
facilities to provide consistent, context appropriate health educatio
n early in the reproductive
life of mothers. In addition, social marketing and behaviour change models are important in
addressing this situation. Further research should focus on the role of primary social support
systems of caregivers in complementary fe
eding practice.
Citation
Master Of Science In Paediatric Nursing, University Of Nairobi, 2014Publisher
University of Nairobi