Feeding Practices and Nutritional Status of Children Aged 0-59 Months Accompanying Incarcerated Mothers in Selected Women's Prisons in Kenya
Loading...
Date
2013-10-17
Authors
Ndanu, Mary Makau
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Infant and young child feeding practices have substantial consequences for the growth,
development, and survival of infants and children. Children should be exclusively
breastfed for the first 6 months of life and thereafter continue to breastfeed for 2 years
or longer. Childreri are vulnerable to malnutrition thus nutrition and health status of
the confined children is of interest. The purpose of this study was to establish the
feeding practices and the nutritional status of children aged 0-59 months incarcerated
with their mothers in selected women's prisons in Kenya. A cross-sectional analytical
study was conducted on an exhaustive sample of 202 children and 193 mothers,
drawn from a sample of eight out of the 35 women prisons in Kenya. Data collection
tools included: a structured researcher-administered questionnaire for mothers and
children; key informant interview schedules, focus group discussion guides (FGDs)
and observation checklist. The questionnaire was used to collect information on
feeding practices, anthropometry, morbidity prevalence and health seeking behaviour
for the children. The FGDs solicited information on mothers perceptions on the
adequacy of health and nutrition services accorded to their children. Quantitative data
was analyzed using SPPS for windows version 17.0. Nutritional status data was
entered and analyzed in ENA for SMART (2008) software and interpreted using the
WHO Standards (2006). Data on dietary intake was first entered and analyzed using
Nutri-Survey software, after which it was exported to SPSS for cross-analysis with
nutritional status. Exclusive breastfeeding rate was 69.4% and continued
breastfeeding at 1 year (88.5%) and at 2 years (52.2 %). For complementary feeding
practices, the mean Dietary Diversity Score (DDS) was 3.52 ± 1.04 foods groups out
of 7 groups with 53.3% having attained the minimum DDS and 86.5% of breastfed
children having attained the minimum frequency meal consumption. About half of the
children (48.6%) attained the minimum acceptable diet. A large percentage (76.9%)
of the children suffered from upper respiratory infection and 21.3% from diarrhoea. In
terms of nutritional status, 21.4% of the children were stunted, 3.8% wasted and 7.5%
were underweight. Dietary practices )Ver,eassociated with underweight; children who
had attained the minimum meal frequency were more likely to be underweight
p=O.030); those who had not attained the minimum dietary diversity were more likely
to be underweight (p=0.012); and those who did not attain the minimum acceptable
diet were more likely to be underweight (p=O.014). Children who had been ill based
on a two-week recall were also more likely to be underweight (p=O.012). The children
of mothers with higher educational status tended to be more wasted (p=0.019) and
also underweight (p=O.020). Educational level of the mother did not therefore
positively influence the nutritional status of their children in such an environment.
Feeding practices significantly influenced nutritional status among children
accompanying incarcerated mothers in prisons in Kenya. The government and other
stakeholders should formulate policies that govern the health care and feeding
practices of children incarcerated with their mothers in prisons. Similar research
should be replicated especially to determine the micro-nutrient status of the children
Description
Department of Foods, Nutrition & Dietetics, 105p. The RJ 206 .K4M3 2013