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Abstract
In 1990, the Iranian Ministry of Health implemented a health plan to increase mothers' knowledge of infant feeding using health workers and health volunteers. This study evaluates the effects of nutrition education on mothers' knowledge and whether increase in mothers' knowledge was associated with increase in growth of their children in Ardabil, Iran. A quasi-experimental study of the impact of written nutritional education and in-person nutritional education given to the participants (mothers) from urban health centers by health workers and health volunteers. Sixteen urban health centers located in Ardabil, Iran, were selected randomly for nutritional education. A group of 303 mothers with infants younger than 6 months of age from 16 health centers participated in this study. Height-for-age Z scores and weight-for age Z scores were calculated based on the National Center for Health Statistics reference values. There were signifi cant differences between maternal nutritional knowledge before and after the intervention in all groups. However, the in-person method of instruction given by health workers was more effective in increasing mothers' knowledge than those in non-health worker volunteers intervention group. There were also significant differences between the growth rates of infants' heights and weights before and after the intervention. In line with the aims of the government's plan, the education given by health volunteers from non-governmental organizations was effective. However, it was less effective than the one given by professional health workers.
Highlights
The health ministry of Iran has stated that the prevalence of growth failure of infants younger than two years of age is high in Tehran, the nation’s capital
Selected health centers were randomly divided into two groups: first group comprised of 8 centers for in-person and written training methods with health workers; second group comprised of 8 centers for in-person and written training methods with health volunteers
Eight midwives who were responsible for family health care in health centers and eight women with high school diplomas who live near the health centers and were interested in participating in the educational program as health volunteers were recruited into this study
Summary
The health ministry of Iran has stated that the prevalence of growth failure of infants younger than two years of age is high in Tehran, the nation’s capital. One clinical trial in Iran on 310 mothers instructed by health volunteers indicated that this instruction had a positive effect on scores of the knowledge, attitudes and performance of mothers.[4] Childhood malnutrition is due, directly or indirectly, to mothers’ poor nutritional knowledge or lack thereof.[5,6] The Holy Quaran states that mothers should breastfeed their children for two full years.[7] According to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), mothers’ training is a key factor in eliminating malnutrition among children younger than five years of age.[8] To date, few studies in Iran have been designed to evaluate the impact of implementation of the government health plan by health volunteers on infants’ growth rate. In 1990, the Iranian Ministry of Health implemented a health plan to increase mothers’ knowledge of infant feeding using health workers and health volunteers.This study evaluates the effects of nutrition education on mothers’ knowledge and whether increase in mothers’ knowledge was associated with increase in growth of their children in Ardabil, Iran
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