Feeding practices, morbidity patterns and nutritional status of HIV-exposed infants (6-52 weeks) at Lea Toto community-based program, Dagoretti, Nairobi! County
Loading...
Date
2014-07-24
Authors
Macharia, Elizabeth Wairimu
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The population of HIV -exposed children has been growing rapidly. HIV -exposed children have
higher mortality and morbidity rates than children born to HIV-uninfected mothers even when
feeding patterns are the same. There is a gap between PMTCT knowledge and infant feeding
policy as infant feeding counselling does not necessarily translate into appropriate feeding
practices irrespective of its quality and quantity. Social and economic factors have not been
considered in the formulation of Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) guidelines. The
purpose of this study is to determine feeding practices, morbidity patterns and nutrition status of
Hlv-exposed children at Lea Toto Community-Based Program, Dagoretti in Nairobi County.
[his is a community-based outreach program which provides care to children infected with and
affected by HIV in the community through the provision of medical services, nutrition education
and rehabilitation and capacity building. Cross-sectional analytical study design will be used.
Lea Toto program, will be purposively selected because the centre is one of programs in resource
poor settings that offer pediatric HIV care together with nutrition support and has a stabilization
centre for severely malnourished children. Comprehensive sampling method will be used
whereby the entire group of HIV -exposed infants will be included in the sample. This will result
k:> a sample size of approximately 130 infants from the two centres based in Dagoretti. The
iample will include infants aged between 6 weeks-12 months born with normal birth weight and
vith no congenital deformities attending Lea Toto Program Kawangware. A researcher
idministered questionnaire will be used to collect household demographic and socio-economic
.haracteristics, anthropometric measurements, morbidity patterns and infant feeding practices
among HIV -exposed infants. Indicators of assessing IYCF practices and a seven day food
frequency questionnaire will be used to collect data on feeding practices. Focus group
4iscussions will also be conducted. Data will be analysed using SPSS for descriptive and
nferential statistics. Data on anthropometry will be analyzed using ENA for SMART package,
10 10 and interpreted through the use of WHO cut off points to determine their nutritional status.
A chi-square test will be used to establish the associations between infants, age, demograghic
characteristics, and socio-economic characteristicsand infant feeding practices. Pearson's product
moment correlation will be used to establish the presence, strength and direction of the
relationship bettween nutritional status and feeding practices in HIV -exposed infants.multiple
regressions will determine whether -morbidity patterns and dietary bvfactors predict nutritional
satus of the child. This study will be of great significant to Non-Governmental Organisations,
givemment and other stakeholders interested in addressing infant feeding practices to formulate
strategies towards enhancing infant feeding practices that are core in ensuring HIV -free survival
of HIV -exposed infants and their nutritional status.