Feeding Practices, Challenges and Nutrition Status of Infants with Orofacial Clefts Attending African Inland Church Kijabe and Cure Hospitals, Kiambu County, Kenya
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Date
2024-08
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Kenyatta University
Abstract
Orofacial clefts are among the most common congenital disorders across the globe. Recent research indicates that in every three minutes a baby is born with a cleft. Inadequate nutrition in the critical months can lead to impaired nutritional status and growth failure in the cleft population resulting in delayed surgery which can have an impact on overall health and development. At the time of the study, the infant and young child nutrition guidelines in our country were lacking detailed information addressing the feeding challenges in the cleft population. This study therefore sort to ascertain the feeding practices, associated feeding challenges and the nutrition status of infants with orofacial clefts attending AIC Cure and Kijabe Hospitals. The main objective was to determine the feeding practices, associated feeding challenges, nutrition status and to establish the relationship between the variables. A cross-sectional analytical design was adopted on a sample size of 107 infants together with their caregivers. A researcher administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 25. Logistic regression was used to show the direction and the magnitude of the associations between the factors associated with infant’s nutrition status at 95% confidence interval. A p value of < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Nutrition status was analyzed using Ena software for Smart. Descriptive statistics such as means, standard deviations, frequencies and percentages were used to describe the study population. The Chi-square test was used to establish the association between the independent variables and the outcome variable (nutrition status). Results showed unemployed caregivers were 40.2% with 49.5% having an average household income of less than KSh 10000. Infants less than 6 months were the majority at 54.2%. Early initiation of breastfeeding within 1 hour was at 29.0 % those who were exclusive breastfed at 28.0%. Infants who were bottle fed were at 47.6%. The minimum acceptable diet was 16.3%. Global malnutrition was at 17.8% (95% CI: 11.7-26.1). Global underweight at 31.8% (95% CI: 23.7-41.4) while global stunting was at 33.6% (95% CI: 25.4-43.0). Morbidity status for this study was at 35.5%. The study established a significant association between the caregivers’ occupation and infant nutrition status (P value = 0.09 df = 1, OR= 13.231). In addition, there was a significant association established between the caregivers’ average household income and children nutrition status (P value = 0.047 df= 2, χ2 = 5.717). Caregiver’s occupation (AOR= 12.1; 95% CI, 1.60-25.81; p value = 0.019), child’s age (AOR = 2.6; 95% C.I, 0.93-7.00, p value 0.05), caregivers average household income (AOR= 5.0; 95% CI, 1.13-21.80, p value = 0.034) and meal frequency (AOR = 5.0, C.I, 1.032-24.064, p value = 0.046) were the predictors of the children nutrition status. Equipping health care providers adequately in knowledge to early identify and address the feeding difficulties that infants born with orofacial clefts present with and prioritizing prevention of malnutrition in all its forms by consistent follow up and intervening appropriately at each encounter were some of the recommendations made.
Description
A Research Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Science (Food Nutrition and Dietetics) School of Health Sciences of Kenyatta University, August, 2024
1. Peter M Chege
2.Elizabeth Kuria