Maternal Knowledge, Attitude and their Utilization of Nutrition Information in the Mother and Child Health Handbook in Bungoma County, Kenya
Loading...
Date
2024
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
The use of the Mother and Child Health handbook in most countries that have adopted it has shown provision of a good continuum of care to children. The information captured in the handbook about the mother during pregnancy until delivery is crucial to help health care workers as they offer health services to the mother. In Kenya, the proportion of children below 6 months who are exclusively breastfed is 60% while only 43.3% in Bungoma County are exclusively breastfed. Only 21 % of children in Kenya aged 6-23 months receive an appropriate diet in line with the recommended infant and young child feeding guidelines. In Bungoma County, only 22% of children in that age group are fed appropriately. The prevalence of stunting in Bungoma County stands at 19%, wasting 2.3% and underweight 9.6%. Poor breastfeeding practices and inappropriate complementary feeding are some of the main contributors to these poor indicators. Strengthening the use of the Maternal and Child Health handbook can help in curbing some of these preventable problems. Minimal information exists on maternal and caregivers’ knowledge, attitude and utilization of nutrition information in mother and child health handbook. In Bungoma County, 98.6% of pregnant women attended Ante Natal Clinic (ANC), 69% took the iron supplements and only 7% took folic acid and iron supplements for 90 days or more as recommended by the Ministry of Health. On skilled deliveries, only 79.3% of the women delivered in a health facility. About 49% of the mothers attended post-natal clinic within 48 hours while only 31% of newborns received neonatal checkups. The aim of this study was to assess the maternal and caregivers’ knowledge, attitude and utilization of nutrition information in mother and child health handbook in Kanduyi Sub-county of Bungoma County. Systematic random sampling was used to select the targeted sample form each health facility. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to 216 mothers who were randomly selected with children below 5 years. Focus Group Discussion guides and Key Informant Interviews were used to gather more information. For data analysis, version 22 of SPSS was used. Socio-economic and demographic characteristics, knowledge, and attitude were described using descriptive statistics. Relationships and associations among dependent and independent variables were determined by use of chi-square test logistic regression. Qualitative data from Focus Group Discussions and Key Informant Interviews were translated, coded and arranged in an orderly manner to determine the evolving concepts. The mean age of respondents was 28 years. Majority had attained secondary education at 36.9% while casual labour was the main source of income at 21.8%. Findings showed that 83.5% of the caregivers had high knowledge on duration of breastfeeding and 38.0% had low knowledge on weight and height taking. Statistically significant associations were noted between knowledge of breastfeeding and utilization p=0.004 (COR, 0.42, 95% CI 0.23-0.75, as well as attitude on sufficiency of breast milk and utilization p=0.004 COR,1.68, 95% CI,1.18-2.41. Health education should be enhanced at antenatal and child welfare clinics so that mothers get knowledge on all aspects of nutrition.
Description
Research Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of Master of Science in Food, Nutrition and Dietetics in the School of Health Sciences of Kenyatta University, September, 2024
Supervisor:
1.Peter Chege
2.Winfreda Nyamota