Caregiver’s Knowledge and Utilization of Growth Monitoring and Promotion for under 2 years Children in Debre Berhan, Ethiopia, 2020.
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Date
2020-09
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Addis Abeba University
Abstract
Background: Growth monitoring and promotion is a prevention activity comprised of growthmonitoring, linked with promotion that increases awareness about child growth and serves as thecore activity in an integrated child health and nutrition program. Even though growth monitoringand promotion would appear to be a prerequisite for a good child health, several studies haveshown that there is a “know-do gap” among caregivers.
Objective This study was aimed to assess caregiver‟s knowledge and utilization of Growthmonitoring and promotion services for children under two years old in Debre Berhan, Ethiopia2020.
Method Community based cross sectional study supplemented with qualitative design wasconducted in Debre Berhan from February- May2020. Quantitative and qualitative methods wereused. For quantitative part, from the 421 estimated sample size 402caregivers were selected byusing a single population proportion formula with simple random sampling and data wascollected using adopted, structured and pretested interviewer administered questionnaire. Forqualitative 6 purposively selected health extension workers were interviewed (in depthinterview) to supplement the quantitative study to find out the challenges. Quantitative data wasentered into Epi data version 4.0.2 then exported to a Statistical Package for Social Sciencesversion 21.0for analysis. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regressions were computed to seethe association of independent with the dependent variables. The results were reported as OddsRatio and 95% Confidence interval. Qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis.
Result with 402(95.4%) response rate, only 35% of the care givers were found to have adequate knowledge about GMP while utilization of GMP services was 13.4%.Illiterate caregivers were 3times less likely to know about Growth monitoring and promotion than those with secondary orabove level of education [AOR=3.54; (95% CI=1.22, 10.72)].Caregivers who didn‟t get anexplanation about the weight status of their child were 5 times less likely to have adequateknowledge about Growth monitoring and promotion than their counterparts [AOR=5.02; (95%CI=2.626, 9.597)].Additionally, those who said there was no nutritional counseling andeducation sessions at the health facility were 2.4 times less likely to be knowledgeable aboutGrowth monitoring and promotion than those that attended the session [AOR=2,4; (95% CI=1.356, 4.359)].Residents at rural area were more likely to utilize growth monitoring andpromotion than urban area [AOR=0.128; (95% CI=0.035, 0.474)]. The odds of young child agegroup (0-5 and 6-11month) not to utilize Growth monitoring and promotion were lower by87.7% and 80.7% respectively compared to the 18-23 months of age [AOR=0.123 and0.193;(95% CI=0.029, 0.517 and 0.049,0.764)]. Children‟s with more than 5 family memberswere 3 times less likely to utilize Growth monitoring and promotion than those withless[AOR=2.97; (95% CI =1.171,7.536)].The odds of not utilizing the service were lower by94% for those who travel less than an hour to reach the health facility [AOR=0.06 ; (95%CI=0.014,0.261))]. Care givers with poor knowledge were 2.4 times more likely not to utilizeGrowth monitoring and promotion than those who had good knowledge [AOR= 2.45 ;( 95%CI=1.125-5.332)].Qualitatively, workload, lack of materials, lack of training and supervisionwere among the major challenges faced by health extension workers.
Conclusion and recommendation Both Knowledge and utilization of Growth monitoring andpromotion were low. Thus, efforts should be made to deliver supportive supervision, trainingsand materials to health posts. Additionally, promotional campaigns must be initiated to createawareness in both the rural and urban side of the city.
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Keywords
Caregiver, Growth monitoring, Children, Knowledge, Utilization, Ethiopia