Exploring Reasons for Low Attendance of Mothers to Growth Monitoring and Promotion Program at Loka Abaya District, Southern Ethiopia: Exploratory Qualitative Study.

Mesfin Tekle,Habtamu Wondiye Bekele,Amsalu Alagaw,Eshetu Zerihun,Befikadu Tariku

doi:10.1155/2019/3510649

Abstract

Background Different organizations in Ethiopia are currently working on prevention and promotion activities to fight malnutrition among children through a community-based nutrition program. One of these activities with little success is growth monitoring and promotion (GMP). Exploring the reason and better understanding of low attendance of mothers to the GMP program can help to improve the program by incorporating finding. The aim of the study was to explore reasons for low attendance to the GMP program among mothers of under-two children. Method An exploratory qualitative study design was used to unearth reasons for low attendance of mothers with under-2-year-old child to the GMP program. In-depth interviews were carried out with 13 mothers. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis approach. Result Mothers perceived that GMP is (meant) for unhealthy children (only). Again mothers mentioned community dishonor of mothers with wasted children and method of weighing a child as a community-related reason for low attendance to the GMP program. They also indicated that there was no community conversation and weak counseling of the mothers about child feeding and growth. Perception about “evil eye” was also indicated as a reason for lower attendance of the program. Conclusion Mothers showed that there was lack of knowledge about GMP. Limited community conversation and weak counseling about child nutrition as a GMP program were explored reasons for low attendance. Other reasons mentioned by the mothers were consideration of “evil eye” and method of weighing a child. Further research is needed to explore the implementation of GMP by health workers and to evaluate the extent of the identified reasons for low attendance to the GMP program by the mother.

Highlights

Child growth and development is one of the major problems in low- and middle-income countries [1, 2]
Community conversations enable the community members to have an overall nutrition picture of their community, analyze causes of nutritional problems, and take appropriate actions [14]. e finding of this study showed that the mothers were not exposed for community conversations. e absence of this forum created the lack of potent opportunities, which could have contributed to raising the awareness of mothers and community members on the importance of growth monitoring and promotion (GMP) and motivating them to attend the program
Other discouragements for the use of GMP, expectation of dishonor if the child was wasted, and weighing method like hanging of the child were indicated as a reason for reluctant to attend GMP sessions. ese facts pointed that if the program was not supported by the community and by husbands, its uptake might be affected

Summary

Introduction

Child growth and development is one of the major problems in low- and middle-income countries [1, 2]. Different organizations in Ethiopia are currently working on prevention and promotion activities to fight malnutrition among children through a community-based nutrition program. One of these activities with little success is growth monitoring and promotion (GMP). E aim of the study was to explore reasons for low attendance to the GMP program among mothers of under-two children. Mothers mentioned community dishonor of mothers with wasted children and method of weighing a child as a community-related reason for low attendance to the GMP program. Limited community conversation and weak counseling about child nutrition as a GMP program were explored reasons for low attendance. Further research is needed to explore the implementation of GMP by health workers and to evaluate the extent of the identified reasons for low attendance to the GMP program by the mother

Methods

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion