Knowledge Attitude and Practice of Health Extension Workers Towards Growth Monitoring and Promotion Program in Tigray Region
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Date
2014-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study was designed and conducted wil" Ihe aim of assessing knowledge, atlitude, praclice
and challenges of HEWs towards Ihe GrOlvth Moniloring and Promotion programs in
Endamohoni, Sasi Isada emba, Medebay Zona woredas of Tigray Region. Growth J'vioniloring is
a screening /001 10 diagnose nutritional problems and slat us of children at an early stage. 11 has
been suggesled Ihat growth monitoring has the potentialfor significant impact on mortality even
in Ihe absence of nutrition supplemenlation or education. A cross sectional survey through LOT
Quality Assurance metliod assisted by FG D, observation methods. Accordingly, Jl4 sUlwy
questionnairesfor HEWs, 30 FGD, 9 KII were conducted Fom March Ito April 18, 2014 . .4
pre-coded, pre-tested alld structured qlleslionnaire was used for the quantitalive method and
FGD was conducted in the three woredas for the qualitative method. Thefindings of the study
indicated that the HEW 's overall knowledge of GM was found 10 be 96% and about 85 % of
them recognized thai G.1f was one 0/ a child health jJrogram. The IIIOSt widel)! used slandard
GPU equipment wasfovnd to be MUAC 46.9% and Wt scale 35%. As to the knOlvledge of HEW
in using these materials, 54.7% of them need additional reji'esher trainings and 41.1% of
respondents reported Ihat they knoll! it very well. Besides, 86.2%faced a problem in doing GM?
and the most ji'equent challenges were gelling a resull/or the same child in diffe rent time was
different (31%), difficulty in reading the scale (27.8%) and the result is different in time (21. J%).
Subsequent in-service truining 1I'OS received by (84.4%) of HEW and, the content of the tmining.'
Ihat were given for the HEW 78(29.7%) of the tminings .focused on definition of GMI'. ils
important, 75(28.5%) on hOlV to do GMf', 70(26.6%) how 10 use the result after weighing a child
and only 40.(15.2%) how 10 link the child with other programs. One third (75%) have reported
tliat Ihey have a good motive towards GMP while the HEWs activities were by and large being
limited to the measurement of weight and AI[UAC (jf children 'I'ho attended the He. Top three
reasons of HEW 1101 giving counseling during GkfP were luck o/trailling on how 10 coullsel J8
(60%), work burden 5(J6.7%) and shortage a/ time 5(16.7%). Although growlh charls 'I'ae
available in 70.5% of the selected health posts the study covered, they were used only ill 51%.
The main reason of not lIsing was the lack o/skills. The result of the qualitative data indicated
Ihat Ihere was alair knowledge GM by the ]-JEFf! participated in the study yet Ihe practice level
was fou nd to be verI' less due to challenges as lack 0/ attention to the details 0/ working
condilions and to humun resources man((gemenl (underdeveloped environment): absence 0/
institutional arrangements jor l/7anagemellt of heallh service extension progral/7 al all level.\';
absence (j/ regular supervision not doing 1/70nitoring Ihe quality of training and soliciting
cooperation of other social sectors; unavailability of contraceptives, in./i"astmcture, vaccines in
sustainable manner poor equipmenl and supply/or GM practice. The sludyrecommended thul
Ihe GM? need due attention and mpid remedial inlervention hy./oint eliorts (jl lhe governlllent,
concemed NGO 's civil societies and Ihe comllulI1it)' itsel/
Description
Keywords
Knowledge Attitude, and Practice of Health Extension