Abstract
The essential nutrition actions explain nutrition through life cycle approach addressing women’s nutrition during pregnancy and lactation, optimal infant and young children feeding, nutritional care for sick children and control of anemia, iodine and vitamin A deficiencies. Essential nutrition action has been implemented and resulted in positive outcome in less developed countries. However, the status of practice and associated factors were not studied in Ethiopia. Thus, institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the practice of essential nutrition actions in healthcare deliveries of Shebedino District, South Ethiopia. Quantitative data were collected though face-to-face interview with health workers and triangulated with data obtained through in-depth interview with health managers in the district and non-participatory observation of client-provider interaction in health facilities. Data were analyzed using SPSS16.0 software. Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were undertaken. The study revealed that 61 (56.0%) health workers practiced essential nutrition actions. Seventy one (65.1%) health workers were trained on essential nutrition actions. The practice of essential nutrition actions was associated with career structure of the health workers (AOR = 6.79, 95%CI: 2.31, 19.98), essential nutrition actions knowledge of health workers (AOR = 6.87, 95%CI: 2.11, 21.51) and availability of monthly nutrition related report form (AOR = 4.95, 95%CI: 1.46, 16.81). The practice of essential nutrition actions was low. The factors affecting the practice were inadequate training and knowledge of essential nutrition actions, career structure of the health workers and availability of monthly report form. Training should be provided for health workers on essential nutrition actions; moreover, essential nutrition actions indicators should be included in monthly report forms of the health institutions.
Highlights
Malnutrition is one of the most serious public health problems in developing countries, where inadequate access to food and nutrients, poor care for mothers and children, derisory health services and unhealthy environments are common [1].Implementation of essential nutrition actions (ENA) package promotes and supports the achievement of seven priority nutrition behaviors
Implementation of ENA package promotes and supports the achievement of seven priority nutrition behaviors. These behaviors are exclusive breastfeeding for six months, adequate complementary feeding starting at about six months with continued breastfeeding for two years, appropriate nutritional care of sick and severely malnourished children, adequate intake of vitamin A for women and children, adequate intake of iron for women and children, adequate intake of iodine by all members of the household and maternal nutrition
The ENA implementation was started in 2004 with training support delivered by Essential Service for Health in Ethiopia (ESHE)
Summary
Implementation of ENA package promotes and supports the achievement of seven priority nutrition behaviors These behaviors are exclusive breastfeeding for six months, adequate complementary feeding starting at about six months with continued breastfeeding for two years, appropriate nutritional care of sick and severely malnourished children, adequate intake of vitamin A for women and children, adequate intake of iron for women and children, adequate intake of iodine by all members of the household and maternal nutrition. These interventions should be included in integrated package at all OPEN ACCESS. Abajobir / Advances in Reproductive Sciences 2 (2014) 8-15 health services contact points; namely, antenatal care, delivery, postnatal and family planning, vaccination, sick child and well child visits [1]
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