The status of breast-feeding among mothers of children aged less than two years and implications for the occurrence of acute diarrhea, Jimma, Southwest Ethiopia
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Date
2002-03
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Addis Abeba Universty
Abstract
To assess the status of breast-feeding among mothers of children aged less than two years and
implications for the occurrence of acute diarrhea; a community based cross-sectional study
was conducted in Jimma town, Southwest Ethiopia. A multi-stage systematic sampling
technique was applied. Experienced and qualified interviewers were employed and a pretested
questionnaire was utilized for this purpose. A total of 412 mothers aged 15-49 with
under-two years children were taken, after the calculation using the formula to estimate a
single population proportions, to examine the status of breast-feeding and implications for the
occurrence of acute diarrhea. It was found that out of the total study subjects, 407 (98.8%) of
the children had ever breast-fed at any time after birth, and among children who have ever
breast-fed, 339 (83.3%) have initiated breast-feeding early within 24 hours after birth.
It was also found that out of the children aged four and above months (n=333), 207 (62.2%)
of them were predominantly breast-fed, and from the same age group, 23 (6.91 %) have
exclusively breast-fed for the first 4-6 months after birth. From the children who have
exclusively breast-fed, 7 (30.4%) and from those predominantly breast-fed, 92 (44.4%)
developed acute diarrhea. These differences were not statistically significant. However, out of
the children who have initiated breast-feeding early after birth, 132 (38.9%) developed acute
diarrhea as compared to those who have initiated late after 24 hours. Still the differences are
not significantly associated with the occurrence of acute diarrhea (p<0.107).
The over all practices of breast-feeding was found to be influenced by the state of attending
postnatal care, which showed significant association (p<0.010). Mothers who have attended
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postnatal clinic are protected from having good practice of breast-feeding, as compared to the
others [adjusted OR=0.50 (0.296,0.85)], which is a unique finding contradicts with the
general truth. Maternal knowledge about the benefits of breast-feeding, on the other hand,
were found to be influenced by variables such as maternal relations to the head of the
household (p<0.029), attending of formal school (p<0.008), attending of antenatal care
(p<0.015) and attending of health education (p<0.013). All these variables showed significant
association with the outcome variable, which indicated mothers who have married, attended
formal school, antenatal care and health education are in favor of having satisfactory
knowledge about the benefits of breast-feeding.
The occurrence of acute diarrhea was found to be influenced by some breast-feeding and
health service related characteristics. For example, children from mothers who have
unsatisfactory knowledge about exclusivity and duration of breast-feeding are protected from
having the risk of acute diarrhea [(adjusted OR = 0.29 (0.12, 0.73)] as compared to those from
mothers who have satisfactory knowledge. It is concluded that despite the rapid demographic
shifts, maternal practices about breast-feeding is optimal except the practice of exclusivity.
However, it can be concluded that mothers’ interacting with certain social, cultural, and
economic variables, are important factors influencing their child feeding decisions.
Finally, it is recommended that even in this population with free access to preventive medical
care, greater efforts should be made to educate mothers regarding risk factors for diarrheal
disease identification and the benefits of maintaining breast-feeding during acute diarrhea
episodes.
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Sexual Behavior in Sebeta Town, Oromia Regional State