Acute Respiratory Tract Infections and Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices among 6 TO 23 Months Old Children In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2023
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Date
2024-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Suboptimal child feeding practice may lead to malnutrition which in turn is associated
with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality from respiratory tract infections among under two
children. In Ethiopia, an encouraging progress in the reduction of ARI was observed until 2010;
however, since then the national prevalence is unchanged. Therefore, the need to uncover the role of
infant and young child feeding practice is to provide information for interventions aiming to reduce
under-five children morbidity and mortality due to childhood infections.
Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the association between acute respiratory tract
infections and infant and young child feeding practices among 6 to 23 months old children attending
public health centers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2023.
Methods: Facility based analytical cross-sectional design was conducted from August to September,
2023 among 342 children aged 6- to 23-months paired with their mothers in public health centers
located in Addis Ababa. Multistage sampling technique was used to recruit the study participants. Data
was collected from mothers of the infants and children using electronic method. Data was entered and
analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 26. The association between
IYCF practices and ARI were investigated using Chi-square test and binary logistic regression model.
Result: The overall proportion of infants and children with acute respiratory tract infection was 31%.
Early initiation of breastfeeding (AOR 0.57; 95% CI: 0.39, 0.82) and Exclusively Breastfed for the first
two days after birth (AOR 0.64; 95% CI: 0.45, 0.91) were associated with lower risk of ARI. Infants
and children who were frequently fed (AOR 0.54; 95% CI: 0.38, 0.76) and who consumed fruits and
vegetables (AOR 0.37; 95% CI: 0.23, 0.61) were also less likely to experience ARI compared to their
counterparts.
Conclusion: The findings of the study indicate that the magnitude of acute respiratory tract infection
is high among under two years children as upper respiratory tract infection being commonest cause and
the recommended IYCF practices to reduce the occurrence of ARI in infants and children are early
initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding in the first two days after delivery, consumption of
vegetables or fruits and frequent feeding of infants and children.
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Keywords
Acute respiratory tract infections, WHO infant and young child feeding indicators