scholarly journals Challenges and responses to infant and young child feeding in rural Rwanda: a qualitative study

Author(s):  
Jeanine Ahishakiye ◽  
Laura Bouwman ◽  
Inge D. Brouwer ◽  
Eric Matsiko ◽  
Margaret Armar-Klemesu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Despite different interventions to improve child nutrition conditions, chronic malnutrition is still a public health concern in Rwanda, with a high stunting prevalence of 38% among under 5-year-olds children. In Rwanda, only 18% of children aged 6–23 months are fed in accordance with the recommendations for infant and young child feeding practices. The aim of this study was to explore challenges to infant and young child feeding practices and the responses applied to overcome these challenges in Muhanga District, Southern province of Rwanda. Methods Sixteen (16) focus group discussions were held with mothers, fathers, grandmothers, and community health workers from 4 rural sectors of Muhanga District. The discussions were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed using qualitative data analysis software, Atlas.ti. Results Two main themes emerged from the data. Firstly, there was a discourse on optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices that reflects the knowledge and efforts to align with early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, as well as initiation of complementary foods at 6 months recommendations. Secondly, challenging situations against optimal practices and coping responses applied were presented in a discourse on struggling with everyday reality. The challenging situations that emerged as impeding appropriate IYCF practices included perceived lack of breast milk, infant cues, women’s heavy workload, partner relations and living in poverty. Family and social support from community health workers and health facility staff, financial support through casual labor, and mothers saving and lending groups, as well as kitchen gardens, were used to cope with challenges. Conclusion Factors influencing IYCF practices are multifaceted. Hence, intervention strategies to improve child nutrition should acknowledge the socially embedded nature of IYCF and address economic and social environmental constraints and opportunities, in addition and above knowledge only.

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 2137
Author(s):  
Sowmya R. Nathan ◽  
Haleema Nuwera ◽  
Shyam Sudhir ◽  
Rasheena Shamshu

Background: The health of the child depends on the attainment of the nutritional requirements, which include breast-feeding followed by complementary feeding. The mother’s knowledge on complementary feeding is greatly relied upon health workers. Therefore it is important for the health workers to know the recommended practices for Infant and Young Child Feeding practices so that they can impart the same to mothers.Methods: Cross sectional hospital based questionnaire study conducted among 120 medical interns at Yenepoya Medical College Hospital, Mangalore. A score of more than 75% was considered good, 50 -74% moderate, and less than 50% as poor. Statistical Package of social science (SPSS) software was used for analysis of data.Results: Of the 110 respondents, majority of them (88.18%) of them agreed to initiate complementary feeding at 6 months. 82% of them responded that it should be initiated with rice/cereal-based diet. Of the 110 responded 87 of them agreed that for a 6–8 month old breastfed child the frequency of feeds needed to be at least 2 times or higher. Regarding the type of complementary feeding, 89.09% were aware that it should be started with mono-cereals.Conclusions: This study concluded that majority of the medical interns had a good knowledge on the recommended feeding practices for the infant and young child. There were very few medical interns who had to be informed regarding the correct infant and young child feeding practices.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theogene Dusingizimana ◽  
Janet L Weber ◽  
Thiagarajah Ramilan ◽  
Per O Iversen ◽  
Louise Brough

Abstract Objective: To explore and gain an in-depth understanding of the factors influencing child feeding practices among rural caregivers in Rwanda. Design: In-depth semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and coded. Data were analysed inductively using thematic analysis. Setting: Rutsiro District, Western Province, Rwanda. Participants: Participants included twenty-four mothers (median age 32 years) with children 6–23 months old. Results: We identified five key themes: (i) breast-feeding practices and role in food supply; (ii) family v. children’s food preparations; (iii) food classification systems and their influence on child feeding decisions; (iv) child feeding during diarrhoeal episodes and (v) influence of poverty on child feeding practices and child care. Conclusions: Mothers’ infant and young child feeding decisions are informed by information both from health workers and from traditional/own knowledge. Navigating through this information sometimes creates conflicts which results in less than optimal child feeding. A nutrition educational approach that is cognisant of maternal perceptions should be employed to improve child feeding practices. Efforts to improve child feeding practices must be complemented by programmes that enhance household economic opportunities and access to foods.


2021 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nigatu Regassa Geda ◽  
Cindy Xin Feng ◽  
Bonnie Janzen ◽  
Rein Lepnurm ◽  
Carol J. Henry ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Undernutrition among children is a priority area of public health concern in Ethiopia. The purpose of this study was to examine disparities in Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices among children 6–23 months. Method Data were drawn from the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Surveys (EDHS). A total of 3240 children aged 6–23 months were used for the present analysis. The outcome variable was IYCF practice score (ranging 0–7) which was constructed based on the linear and combined effects of four sets of variables: breastfeeding, avoidance of bottle feeding, diet diversity score and minimum feeding frequency. IYCF practice score was further recoded into three categories. Proportional odds regression was used to assess the determinants of IYCF category. Results The proportional odds regression analysis showed that IYCF scores significantly decreased by 5% (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 0.95; 95% CI: 0.93–0.97) for every unit increase in the child’s age. Households with fathers of primary and secondary and above level education were 1.37 times (95% CI: 1.14–1.66) and 1.67 times (95% CI: 1.26–2.23) more likely to be in the high IYCF category than in the poor IYCF category. The likelihood of being in the high IYCF practice category decreased for non-working mothers by 30% (AOR = 0.70; 95% CI: 0.59–0.83) compared to those working in gainful employment. The chance of being in the high IYCF practice category decreased by 29% for households with no access to radio (AOR = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.59–0.85). Those with medium and rich/richer wealth category were 1.54 times (95% CI: 1.22–1.94) and 1.40 times (95% CI: 1.11–1.75) more likely to belong to high IYCF practice category than being in poor IYCF category. For every unit increase in health service utilization, the chance of falling in higher IYCF category increases by 1.15 times (95% CI: 1.08–1.23). The chance of falling in higher IYCF practice category decreases for rural residents by 37% (AOR = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.47–0.84) compared to those residing in urban areas. Conclusion For a child, the first two years is the time span during which linear faltering of growth is most prevalent and the period when the process of becoming stunted is almost complete. This study recommends improving access to women for gainful employment, provision of economic support to poor rural women, education and promotion of nutrition messages using most accessible media and boosting the positive role of fathers in child feeding practices.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. e109181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Komal P. Kushwaha ◽  
Jhuma Sankar ◽  
M. Jeeva Sankar ◽  
Arun Gupta ◽  
J. P. Dadhich ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Arulprasad Radjasegarane ◽  
Anandaraj Rajagopal ◽  
Prakash Mathiyalagen ◽  
Kavita Vasudevan

Background: Optimal infant and young child feeding practices (IYCF) are essential to address the increasing burden of malnutrition and for the overall development of the children. The present study was conducted to estimate the proportion of optimal infant and young child feeding practices among rural children aged 0 to 23 months and study the associated socio demographic factors.Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among 360 children in the age group of 0 to 23 months in a rural field practice area of a medical college in Puducherry. Data on IYCF practices were collected using a standardized tool developed by WHO. Core and optional IYCF indicators were calculated. Chi-square test and Fishers’ exact test were used as tests of significance.Results: Almost 88.0% of infants were initiated early on breastfeeding and 90.8% were exclusively breastfed for six months. Children who were continuously breastfed at one year and two years were 77.4% and 22.4% respectively. About 75.0% were introduced with solid or semisolid foods at 6 to 8 months of age. Among children aged 6 to 23 months, 77.3% had the recommended minimum dietary diversity, 81.3% had the minimum meal frequencies, while 57.7% received the minimum acceptable diet and only 39.4% consumed iron rich foods. Gender was significantly associated with the practice of continued breastfeeding at one year, adequate minimum dietary diversity and minimum meal frequency.Conclusions: The core and optional IYCF indicators were acceptably good in the initial six months of life but thereafter showed suboptimal levels, which should be emphasized among the mothers or primary care givers.


2012 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 301 ◽  
Author(s):  
AmirMaroof Khan ◽  
Priscilla Kayina ◽  
Paras Agrawal ◽  
Anita Gupta ◽  
AnjurTupil Kannan

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 58-62
Author(s):  
Ramesh Shrestha ◽  
Ved Prasad Bhandari ◽  
Laxman Datt Bhatt

Introduction: Child feeding practices have a direct consequence on the nutritional status of children under two year which ultimately have impact on child survival. Socio-cultural barriers is one of the main factors in infant and young child feeding in various community. This study aims to explore socio-cultural barriers of infant and young child feeding practices among mothers of Kumal community in Nuwakot district. Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among mother of 6-23 months children’s in Kumal community. Data was collected from 67 respondents through face-to-face interview. The collected data was entered in Epi-data version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS, version 20. Results: Our study reveals that 83.6% of the respondents had initiated early breastfeeding. More than half (56.7%) of the respondents had exclusive breastfeeding and 97% had extended breastfeeding. Half (50.7%) of the respondents introduce complementary feeding in time, sex of child was associated with exclusive breastfeeding and complementary feeding. Similarly, size of household, mother and father education was associated with continuation of breastfeeding practice. Conclusions: The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding is still low due to many factors and one being socio cultural practices and beliefs. Interventions that can hit the socio-cultural beliefs should be given priority to exterminate the socio-cultural taboos from root level.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document