Assessment of Formula Feeding Practices in Addis Ababa Mothers with Infants Under Six Months Old, and Factor Associated to it
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Date
2024-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Infant formula feeding practice has been increased worldwide but 1.3 to 1.45 million childhood deaths were attributable to suboptimal breastfeeding practices in developing countries. However, there has been inadequate data related to the practice.
Objective: To assess formula feeding practice and associated factors among mothers who visited health facilities to seek for infant care services, Addis Ababa.
Methods: A health facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 11– May 10, 2023. Data were collected from 403 randomly selected mothers with infants under 6 months of age. An interviewer-administered semi - structured questionnaire and an in depth interview was used to collect the data. The data were coded and entered into Epi-Data V 3.1 and exported to SPSS V 23 for analysis. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis were done to predict variables associated with formula feeding practice. Variables with a p-value < 0.05 in multivariable logistic regression were considered statistically significant.
Result: The prevalence of infant formula feeding was 39.7 % (95% CI: 35, 44.7). Single mothers [AOR = 0.323, 95% CI: (0.105-0.988)] and those who got information about formula feeding from health facilities [AOR = 0.321(0.141-0.731)] were 68% less likely to practice formula feeding. On the other hand, those mothers who gave birth at a private health facility [(AOR=3.29, 95% CI: 1.65, 6.56)] and mothers who initiated breastfeeding late [AOR = 3.93, (95%CI: 2.11, 7.33)] were 3 times more likely to feed formula to their children. Similarly, those mothers who did not have the knowledge regarding problems with early introduction of complementary foods were two times more likely to practice formula feeding [(AOR=2.14, 95% CI:1.16, 3.96)].
Conclusion: the capacity of health professionals to provide information about formula feeding should be strengthened. Also, promotion of proper infant feeding should be improved in addition to enhancing the knowledge of health professionals on marketing codes of breast milk substitutes. Further strong policy is required to avoid improper advertisement of infant formulas.
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Keywords
Addis Ababa, Breast Feeding, Formula Feeding, Infants, Health Facilities