Factors associated with inadequate exclusive breastfeeding practices of children aged 0-6 months in Mumbwa district: a case of Mulungushi rural health centre.
| dc.contributor.author | Banda, Mathews Spider | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2024-04-15T14:36:03Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2024-04-15T14:36:03Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2023 | |
| dc.description | Thesis of Master of Science in Public Health. | |
| dc.description.abstract | Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF), the best feeding practice for infants aged from birth to six (6) months has faced challenges of adherence, exposes infants to infections such as diarrhea, despite information on its importance being given to mothers. The main objective of this study was to assess factors associated with inadequate exclusive breastfeeding practices of children aged 0-6 months in Mumbwa district, Mulungushi rural Health Centre. A descriptive cross section study design was used and a total sample of 192 breast feeding mothers were selected using systematic sampling method. The study was conducted from within Mulungushi RHC catchment area. The respondents were interviewed using a structured questionnaire at study sites. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS computer software package and Fishers Exact test was used to test the association between the dependent and independent variables. Qualitative data from the focus group discussions was analyzed using content analysis. The prevalence of exclusive breast feeding practice was at 47%. The factors that were found to be statistically significant to exclusive breast feeding were age of infant, educational level, parity, occupation of the mother, number of meals mothers eat per day, child spacing and support breast feeding mothers received. The other factors were found not to be statistically significant to exclusive breast feeding and these were age of the mother, HIV status of the mother and support from spouse. The study revealed that mothers found it difficult to practice Exclusive Breast Feeding because of the amount of work at home, some feared to transmit the HIV to their babies, some because of the business trips, those in employment stated that the conditions at work were not very conducive for breastfeeding and spouses found it difficult to help with house chores because culturally it was a woman's work. Despite the respondents having knowledge about the importance of EBF, the practice was still below what WHO recommends (60%), that there was still need to strengthen the practice in the study area through education of spouses, family and the community on infant feeding for them to support breast feeding mothers. With the support, mothers will have time to exclusively breast feed their infants. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://dspace.unza.zm/handle/123456789/8543 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | The University of Zambia. | |
| dc.title | Factors associated with inadequate exclusive breastfeeding practices of children aged 0-6 months in Mumbwa district: a case of Mulungushi rural health centre. | |
| dc.type | Thesis |