Mothers Of Under-five Children Research Articles

A Pre-Experimental Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Structured Teaching Programme on Knowledge Regarding Lead Poisoning among Mothers of Under-Five Children in Selected Areas at Mukerian, Punjab

Introduction: Lead poisoning is considered the most preventable environmental disease among young children, yet its exposure is estimated to contribute approximately 600,000 new cases of children with intellectual disabilities every year. A simple health awareness Lead poisoning can prevent permanent brain damage that will last a lifetime.Aim of the Study: The aim of the study is to improve the knowledge on lead poisoning among mothers of under five children through a structured teaching programme.Material and Methods: A quantitative research approach and Pre-experimental one group pre -test-posttestresearch design was used. Total 50 samples of mothers of under-five children were selected by a purposivesampling technique. Data collection was done through self-structured knowledge questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed by calculating frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, ‘t test and F test.Results: As per overall pretest knowledge score, most mothers of under-five children i.e. 90%had poor knowledge, 10% had average knowledge and none of them had good knowledge regarding lead poisoning. After structured teaching programmes most mothers i.e. 98% had good knowledge, 2% had average knowledge and none of them had poor knowledge. The difference between the mean pretest and posttest score was statistically highly significant at p<0.001 level.Conclusion: Structured teaching programme was an effective tool in improving knowledge of mothers of under five children regarding lead poisoning.

Health-seeking Behavior among Mothers of Under-five Children in Sokoto Metropolis, Sokoto, Nigeria

Health-seeking Behavior among Mothers of Under-five Children in Sokoto Metropolis, Sokoto, Nigeria

Knowledge regarding immunization among mothers of under-five children in Uttarakhand

Background: Immunization is one of the most impactful and cost-effective health investments globally that helps in reducing the burden of infectious diseases keeping children safe. Mothers are the major role players with regard to their children’s immunization. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to assess knowledge regarding immunization among mothers of under-five children in the Doiwala block of Dehradun, Uttarakhand. A total of one hundred mothers of under-five children were conveniently selected through door-to-door survey. A structured knowledge questionnaire on under-five immunization was administered through the interview technique to assess the knowledge of the mothers. Results: Among 100 mothers of under-five children 13% had poor knowledge, 63% had average knowledge and 24% had good knowledge regarding under-five immunization. There was significant association between age, education status and socioeconomic status of mothers with knowledge score regarding under-five immunization. Conclusions: There is a strong need to increase awareness and knowledge about immunization among children; its benefits and importance. There is also a need to educate people especially mothers regarding harmful consequences of incomplete immunization of children.

A study to assess the effectiveness of information booklet on knowledge regarding protein energy malnutrition among mothers of under-five children at selected rural area of Banaskantha, Gujarat

A study to assess the effectiveness of information booklet on knowledge regarding protein energy malnutrition among mothers of under-five children at selected rural area of Banaskantha, Gujarat

Prompt treatment of fever and its associated factors among under-five children in sub-Saharan Africa: A multilevel analysis of evidence from 36 countries.

Despite the decrease in the global under-five mortality rate, the highest rates of mortality are reported in sub-Saharan Africa. More than one-third of all deaths among under-five children are either from lower respiratory tract infections, diarrhea, or malaria. Poor treatment-seeking behavior for fever among mothers of under-five children is a big concern in sub-Saharan Africa. However, the pooled prevalence of prompt treatment of fever and its associated factors among under-five children in the region using nationally representative data is not known. Therefore, the findings of this study will inform policymakers and program managers who work on child health to design interventions to improve the timely and appropriate treatment of fever among under-five children. Data from the recent demographic and health surveys of 36 countries in sub-Saharan Africa conducted between 2006 and 2022 were used. A total weighted sample of 71,503 living children aged under five years with a fever was included in the study. Data extracted from DHS data sets were cleaned, recorded, and analyzed using STATA/SE version 14.0 statistical software. Multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with the outcome variable. Intra-class correlation coefficient, likelihood ratio test, median odds ratio, and deviance (-2LLR) values were used for model comparison and fitness. Finally, variables with a p-value <0.05 and an adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval were declared statistically significant. The pooled prevalence of prompt treatment of fever among under-five children in sub-Saharan African countries was 26.11% (95% CI: 25.79%, 26.44%). Factors like maternal education [AOR = 1.18; 95% CI (1.13, 1.25)], maternal working status [AOR = 1.34; 95% CI (1.27, 1.41)], media exposure [AOR = 1.05; 95% CI (1.01, 1.10)], household wealth index [AOR = 1.13; 95% CI (1.06, 1.19)], distance to a health facility [AOR = 1.18; 95% CI (1.13, 1.23)], healthcare decisions [AOR = 1.34; 95% CI (1.01, 1.77)], visited healthcare facility last 12 months [AOR = 1.45; 95% CI (1.38, 1.52)], antenatal care attendance [AOR = 1.79; 95% CI (1.61, 1.99)], place of delivery [AOR = 1.55; 95% CI (1.47, 1.63)], and community-level antenatal care utilization [AOR = 1.08; 95% CI (1.02,1.14)] were significantly associated with prompt treatment of fever among under-five children. The pooled prevalence of prompt treatment of fever among under-five children in sub-Saharan African countries was low. Educated women, working mothers, having media exposure, rich household wealth status, perceiving distance to a health facility was not a big problem, making healthcare decisions with husband or partner, visiting healthcare facility in the last 12 months, antenatal care attendance, health facility delivery, and high community-level antenatal care utilization increase the odds of prompt treatment of fever. Therefore, women's empowerment, information dissemination through mass media, maintaining regular visits to healthcare facilities, and strengthening health facility delivery and antenatal care services are strongly recommended.

The Role of Faith-based Organisations in Childhood Malaria Management among Mothers of Under-five Children in Osogbo, Nigeria

Malaria remains a major health challenge in Nigeria despite efforts at reducing its prevalence. Previous studies on malaria focused mainly on the biomedical aspects. However, little is known about the role of faith-based organisations in malaria management. Health Belief Model (HBM) provided the framework explaining mothers understanding of malaria illness, while exploratory and descriptive designs were utilized. The study was conducted among selected mothers of under-five children in Osogbo using the qualitative method comprising twelve focus group discussions (FGDs); six among mothers 15-35years (three each among literates and non-literates); six among mothers 35years and above (three each among literates and non-literates mothers). Qualitative data were content analysed. Malaria treatment behaviour of the mothers was a complex process, assisted by faith-based organisations through the provision of insecticides treated net (ITNs), awareness campaigns, routine immunization of pregnant mothers, and more. However, hording militated against the effective use of ITNs by mothers in malaria management. This finding corroborates common understanding that faith-based organisations play important role in malaria management by actually providing biomedically accepted resources which led to the reduction of mosquito spread, hence increases the chances of the survival of both children and mothers. Therefore, increased collaboration between government and faith-based organisations is needed to improve malaria management facilities and avail mothers with appropriate education on malaria management strategies to reduce complications from malaria.

Evaluation of the impact of an intervention programme to revamp cold chain system and improve childhood immunization in Egbedore, Nigeria: a retrospective study

Background: In 2016, the immunization coverage in Nigeria ranged from 3% in Sokoto State to 80% in Lagos State while the national coverage was 33.3%. This is lower than the world health organization’s recommendation of over 90%. Immunization coverages in Osun State and Egbedore, Osun State (the study area) were 60% and 83% in respectively. Immunizations for specific vaccine preventable diseases are given to reduce infant morbidity and mortality. An intervention programme to revamp cold chain system was conducted to increase the immunization coverage and reduce the proportion of unimmunized children in Egbedore. The intervention programme comprised of focus group discussion involving immunization teams and mothers of under-five children, cold-chain inventory, observation of normal routine immunization (RI) sessions and observation of immunization outreaches. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of the intervention programme toward improving childhood immunization and increasing child survival in Egbedore Methods: The study utilized a retrospective design, purposive sampling technique and secondary data. Results: The result showed that before the intervention the proportion of unimmunized children for oral polio vaccine-3 (OPV3) was 0.27 which reduced to 0.17 (χ2=169.441, p&lt;0.0001) after the intervention while for pentavalent vaccine-3, the proportion of children unimmunized was 0.28 before the intervention and reduced to 0.19 after the intervention, (χ2=171,059, p&lt;0.0001) Conclusions: The study concluded that regular cold chain equipment (CCE) inventory, repair and supply are germane to ensuring functionality while at least five immunization outreaches are required to be conducted per political ward to enhance optimal immunization coverage.

Spatio-temporal modelling of under-five mortality in Lesotho using demographic and health survey data.

Lesotho is in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) region which aims to reduce the under-five mortality (U5M) to the average of 25 deaths per 1000 live births by the end of 2030 under the sustainable development goals (SDGs) initiative by the United Nations. This paper makes use of the Lesotho Demographic and Health Survey (LDHS dataset, which focuses on female reproductive ages 15-49 and male reproductive ages 15-54 The spatio-temporal models were used in this study to investigate how the proposed covariates change over time. The results showed that children who were breastfed had a lower odd of death compared to children who were not breastfed, children from more educated mothers had significantly lower odds of U5M compared to those from less educated mothers. Having a larger number of children under the age of five also contributed significantly to an increased risk of U5M. The likelihood of U5M increased with age. The study recommends that mothers of under-five children be educated about breastfeeding and encouraged to use contraception in order to postpone birth and reduce parity. Rural development should be prioritized through improved primary health care; and public health services should be made more accessible to rural residents.

Development of Local Foodstuff-Based Complementary Food Porridge MP-ASI "SITOLE" Products as an Effort to Manage Stunting

One of the causes of stunting is poor nutritional intake in infancy and recurrent illnesses due to an unhealthy environment. Mothers of under-five children are the potential strategic target to be empowered to manage stunting. They have to be empowered to meet nutritional needs during infancy. Complementary breast milk food containing calcium, zinc, selenium, iodine, Fe, protein, and phosphorus can be developed using local foodstuffs. This study aimed to investigate the impact of community empowerment training on the knowledge improvement of mothers regarding the development of locally sourced complementary feeding products (MP-ASI) as an intervention to address stunting issues and to formulate a nutrient-rich complementary food product for infants aged 6-12 months. The research design employed was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-and post-test with a control group design. The study subjects were mothers with infants aged 6-12 months residing in Triharjo Village, Kapanewon Pandak, who met the inclusion criteria and were willing to participate. Mothers who were unable to read and write were excluded from the study. The study was conducted in Triharjo Village, Kapanewon Pandak, Bantul, from April to July 2022. A total of 54 respondents, selected through simple random sampling, were included as the study sample out of 100 families population. Knowledge data were collected using a questionnaire as the data collection instrument and analyzed using the Dependent T-Test and Independent T-Test at a 95% confidence level. The results indicated a significant difference in knowledge improvement (delta) between the treatment and control groups. A locally sourced complementary food product for infants aged 6-12 months, named "SITOLE" porridge, was developed as an outcome. The development data of the MP-ASI product (Sitole porridge) were compiled using a group discussion method.

Effectiveness of Video Assisted Teaching on Knowledge Regarding Management of Paediatric Emergencies among Mothers of Under-Five Children

Background: A quasi experimental study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of video assisted teaching on knowledge regarding management of paediatric emergencies among mothers of under-five children at selected community areas, Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir. A total sample of 120 mothers of under-five children were selected using purposive sampling technique. The objectives of the study were to assess the knowledge regarding management of paediatric emergencies among mothers of under-five children before and after video assisted teaching and to find out the effectiveness of video assisted teaching on knowledge regarding management of paediatric emergencies among mothers of under-five children. The final objective was to determine the knowledge regarding management of paediatric emergencies and selected demographic variables. Materials and Methods: A two-group pre-test post-test design was used to conduct the study. A sample comprising of 60 mothers of under-five children in experimental and 60 in control group were enrolled using non-probability purposive sampling technique. The conceptual framework of the study was based on Imogene King’s Goal Attainment Model Results: Data analysis was done using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings of the study revealed that the mean post-test knowledge score 21.6±3.3 among experiment group was significantly higher than the mean pre-test knowledge score 12±3.5 (p&lt;0.01). Paired t value computed at 16.47** was statistically significant at p&lt;0.01. Change in knowledge score among the control group was not significant (p&gt;0.05 level). The t test value (17.4**), revealed that, there is significant increase in the mean post-test knowledge score among experimental group compared to the mean post-test knowledge score among control group at 0.01 level. Significant association at 0.05 level was observed between knowledge with regard to their source of information. Conclusion: T he findings of the study confirmed that the video assisted teaching was significantly effective in improving the knowledge regarding management of paediatric emergencies among mothers of under-five children. Keywords: Video assisted teaching, knowledge, management of paediatric emergencies, mothers of under-five children.

Effectiveness of Structured Teaching Programme regarding Prevention of Pneumonia among mothers of under-five children in selected rural area at Bangalore

This study to assess the effectiveness of structured teaching programme regarding prevention of pneumonia among mothers of under five children in selected rural area at Bangalore to assess the existing knowledge regarding prevention of pneumonia among mothers of under five children. An evaluative research approach with one group pretest posttest design in quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the STP. This study was conducted in Jeetipalya and Thavereker at Bangalore. The population for this study consisted of mothers of under five children. Random sampling technique by lottery method was used to select 60 samples. The tool used for the data collection was structured knowledge interview questionnaire which comprised of 11 items on demographic data and 30 items on prevention of pneumonia among mothers of under five children. The reliability of the tool was established by Split Half technique, with ‘r’=0.88. Major findings of the study were: Regarding the existing knowledge of the mothers of under five children regarding prevention of pneumonia, there was a lack of knowledge in all aspects of prevention of pneumonia. The overall pretest mean knowledge was 12.75 and post test mean knowledge was 20.67, with mean percent enhancement of knowledge score as 7.91 which was statistically significant as observed between pre and post test score with paired‘t’ test 27.82 at 0.05 level. Hence H 1 is accepted. In pretest there was significant association between the knowledge of mothers of under five children with their selected demographic variables like educational status, occupational status, family history of pneumonia and relationship with the child was significant at P and lt; 0.05 level regarding prevention of pneumonia. Hence the findings revealed that a structured teaching programme was effective in enhancement of the knowledge of the mothers of under five children regarding prevention of pneumonia and to prevent occurrence of these infectious diseases.

Assessing Knowledge of Acute Respiratory Infections among Mothers of Under-Five Children in Kageshwori Manahara, Nepal

This study aimed to assess the knowledge of mothers with under-five children regarding acute respiratory infection (ARI) in Kageshwori Manahara 13. The study was conducted on 50 respondents, and a semi-structured interview was used to collect data. Results showed that 82% of respondents had heard about ARI, with most of them learning about it from themselves. However, only half of the respondents knew that ARI affects both the nose and lungs and is a communicable disease that mostly occurs in children under five years of age. More than half of the respondents believed that ARI occurs in the winter season but mainly due to dust and smoke. Interestingly, 90% of the respondents thought that antibiotics could treat ARI, and 38% believed that gargling with water was a home remedy. Despite the majority having knowledge of ARI, the study highlights the need for increased awareness campaigns and TV programs to educate people, particularly those in rural areas where basic health services are lacking. Ultimately, improving knowledge of ARI could contribute to reducing mortality rates in under-five children due to this common illness.

Knowledge and Practice Regarding Prevention of Covid-19 in Children among Mothers of Underfive Children

Knowledge and Practice Regarding Prevention of Covid-19 in Children among Mothers of Underfive Children

Knowledge and Practice Regarding Prevention of Covid-19 in Children among Mothers of Underfive Children

Aim: A study titled “knowledge and practice regarding prevention of COVID-19 in children among mothers of underfive children” is a descriptive study conducted on 300 mothers of underfive children admitted in pediatric medical wards of Sree Avittam Thirunal Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to assess the knowledge of mothers of underfive children regarding prevention of COVID-19 in children, to assess the practice of mothers of underfive children regarding prevention of COVID-19 in children, to find out the correlation between knowledge and practice of mothers of underfive children regarding prevention of COVID-19 in children, to determine the association between knowledge of mothers of underfive children regarding prevention of COVID-19 in children and selected socio demographic variables, to determine the association between practice of mothers of underfive children regarding prevention of COVID-19 in children and selected socio demographic variables and to prepare a module regarding prevention of COVID-19 in children. Materials and Methods: The theoretical framework of the study was based on Nola J. Pender’s Health Promotion Model. Data regarding mother’s knowledge were assessed using questionnaire and practice through rating scale. Results: The study revealed that of the 300 mothers, 51% mothers had overall good knowledge, 41.3% had average knowledge and 7.7% had poor knowledge regarding prevention of COVID-19 in children. Of the 300 mothers, 82.3% had good practice and 17.7% had average practice regarding prevention of COVID-19 in children. Conclusion: It was observed in the study that there was a weak positive correlation between knowledge and practice (r= 0.265, p&lt; 0.01) and there was a significant association between knowledge of mothers and sociodemographic variables such as age, educational qualification, occupation and income of mother. It was also found that there was a significant association between practice of mothers and educational qualification of mother. The study findings inferred that, even though majority of mothers are following good practices, they lack scientific knowledge regarding preventive practices.

Effectiveness of Learning Package on Knowledge Regarding Child Rearing Among Mothers of Under Five Children

Background: Children are future of society and mothers are guardian of that future, foremost health, safety, and nutrition are important for under five children. Child rearing refer generally to all interactions between mothers and children. They often are unaware that their child rearing knowledge that can affect their children's health includes healthy food habits, Developmental milestones, and preventive measures of accidents. Mothers of under-five children does not have adequate knowledge about child rearing. Thus, by educating theme helps to update knowledge. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of learning package on knowledge regarding child rearing among mothers of under-five children. Methodology: A Quasi- experimental Two group pre-test post-test design and non-probability purposive sampling techniques was adopted to assess the effectiveness of learning package. The sample size was and equally divided into two group,30 in each group (experimental and control group). Result: The finding of the study reveals that majority of mothers of under-five children belong to the age group 21-25 years. In the experimental group pre-test mean ± SD of level knowledge was 8.47 ± 2.54 were significant different with post-test mean ± SD was 20.2± 2.55. In the experimental group pre-test post-test obtained calculated “t” value was (15.41), Mean Difference was 11.73. p-value (&lt;0.0001) was less than 0.05. In the control group and experimental group there was a significance association between marital status and level of knowledge among mothers of under-five children at 0.05 level of significance. Others demographic variables had no significant association with level of knowledge regarding child rearing among mothers of under-five children. Conclusion: The result showed that there was a significant increase in level of knowledge among mothers of under-five children in the experimental group after administration of learning package.

A Pre-Experimental Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Video Assisted Teaching on Knowledge regarding Vitamin ‘A’ Deficiency among Mothers of Under Five Children in selected Urban Area

Background: Vitamin A deficiency affects about 190 million preschool-age children, mostly from Africa and South-East Asia. The vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem (prevalence of night blindness is 1% or higher in children 24–59 months of age or where the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency (serum retinol 0.70 μmol/l or lower) is 20% or higher in infants and children 6–59 months of age), high-dose vitamin A supplementation is recommended in infants and children 6–59 months of age. Objective: This study was performed To evaluate the effectiveness of video assisted teaching on knowledge regarding vitamin ‘A’ deficiency among mothers of under-five children in selected urban area. Material and Methods: Non probability convenient sampling technique was used for selection of sample and samples who met the inclusion criteria were included in this study. Structured questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge of mothers regarding Vitamin A deficiency. Sample consisted of 60 mothers of under five children in selected anganwadi. The pretest knowledge of the mothers is assessed by self-administered questionnaire. Video assisted teaching regarding Vitamin A deficiency was given on the same day. The posttest knowledge of mothers was assessed after 7 days with the same tools. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and presented using tables and graphs. Result: This study has helped to assess the knowledge regarding mothers of under-five children in selected urban area regarding vitamin ‘A’ deficiency. Knowledge of samples were displayed low 61.7% and average 38.3% in pre-test but in post-test it has been improved to displayed low 5% Average 46.7% and good 48.3% categories. The calculated t value was found to be 11.771 for overall knowledge of regarding vitamin ‘A’ deficiency. The video assisted teaching was an effective tool to improve the knowledge of samples regarding vitamin ‘A’ deficiency. Conclusion: By the analysis and interpretation it has been evaluated that there was an improvement in knowledge regarding vitamin A deficiency among mothers in selected Anganwadi after giving video assisted teaching Thus, it was concluded that video assisted teaching is effective tool to improve the knowledge regarding vitamin A deficiency among mothers of under-five children.

Health seeking behaviour among caregivers of under-five children in Edo State, Nigeria

Aim: Timely and appropriate healthcare seeking behaviours if practiced by caregivers of under-five children can have a significant impact on child survival. This study assessed the knowledge of, and general health seeking practices among mothers of under-five children in Nigeria.&#x0D; Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among caregivers of under-five children in Edo State, Nigeria, in 2013. A multi-staged sampling technique was used to recruit respondents. Data collection was done by means of a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire adapted from UNICEF/IMCI household baseline survey questionnaire.&#x0D; Results: A total of 370 caregivers (mean age: 31.1±5.9 years) participated in the study. Almost all of them were females 368 (99.5%), 234 (63.2%) had secondary education and 283 (76.5%) were in the unskilled social class. Over 70%, 76%, 72%, 76% and 82% of participants did not know that being unable to eat/drink, fast breathing, blood in stool and convulsion, respectively, were symptoms of a child not feeling well. The place of primary care of children by caregivers was at home 142 (38.4%), chemist shop 91 (24.6%) and health facility 80 (21.6%). Cost and long waiting time were major reasons for not seeking care in health facilities.&#x0D; Conclusion: This study showed poor health seeking practices among caregivers of under-five children in Edo State, Nigeria. There should be continuous education of caregivers on recognition of danger signs in children and the need to seek appropriate medical care in health facilities.

Prevalence and predictors of vaccine hesitancy among mothers of under-five children: A hospital-based cross-sectional study.

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that vaccine hesitancy is one of the top 10 threats to global public health. Evidence shows that vaccine hesitancy studies in India are limited and targeted toward individual vaccines. The study aimed to fill this gap by exploring the relationship between demographics and SAGE factors toward vaccine hesitancy. A hospital-based, cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted in a non-governmental organization (NGO) hospital with 330 beds, located in Bathalapalli, Andhra Pradesh, India. Mothers of under-five children who attended outpatient departments of pediatrics or obstetrics and gynecology were included. A total of 574 mothers were enrolled and vaccine hesitancy was determined by reviewing the mother-child protection card for the presence of delay or refusal of the recommended vaccine. A face-to-face interview was conducted to obtain demographics and WHO-SAGE variables from the participants. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to associate independent variables (demographics and SAGE variables) with the dependent variable (vaccine hesitancy). Out of 574 respondents, 161 mother's children were noted as vaccine-hesitant (refusal = 7; delay = 154); and the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy was 28.05%. The delay was observed in all recommended vaccines, but the refusal or reluctance was seen in only four vaccines (hepatitis B birth dose = 1; IPV 1 and 2 = 2; Measles 1 and 2 = 3; and Rota 1, 2, and 3 = 1). The respondents' demographics like no or lower parent education (OR = 3.17; 95%CI = 1.50-6.72) and fewer antenatal visits (OR = 2.30; 95%CI = 1.45-3.36) showed higher odds, whereas the upper socioeconomic status showed lower odds (OR = 0.09; 95%CI = 0.02-0.36) toward vaccine hesitancy. The WHO-SAGE dimensions like awareness (OR = 0.14; 95%CI = 0.03-0.53), poor access (OR = 7.76; 95%CI = 3.65-16.51), and low acceptability of the individual (OR = 07.15; 95%CI = 1.87-27.29), community (OR = 6.21; 95%CI = 1.58-24.33) were significantly associated with vaccine hesitancy. The study concludes that the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy was high. Vaccine safety and children's health are primary concerns for parents' refusal/reluctance. To achieve 100% immunization coverage, policymakers need to reduce vaccine hesitancy by developing strategies based on demographic and WHO-SAGE working group predictors.

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH DELAYED ACCESS TO GROWTH MONITORING SERVICES AMONG UNDER-FIVE CHILDREN DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The COVID-19 pandemic caused closures of or postponed integrated health service posts in the community and hampered access of children to growth monitoring services. This study aimed to measure the proportion of under-five children who delayed accessing growth monitoring services and assess its associated factors. An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among mothers of under-five children within the period of August 14-September 14, 2020. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were performed to assess factors associated with delayed access to growth monitoring services among under-five children in Indonesia. 11,650 under-five children were included in the analysis. About 19.9% of children had delayed access to growth monitoring services. Children taken care of by their mothers had lower odds of delayed growth monitoring services than those taken care of by caregivers [AOR: 0.83; 95%CI: 0.73-0.94]. Mothers who accessed information on COVID-19 transmission [AOR: 1.15; 95%CI: 1.01-1.32] and living in high transmission of COVID-19 (red zone) had higher odds delay accessing child growth monitoring [AOR: 1.58; 95%CI: 1.39-1.78]. Therefore, there is an urgent need for customized community-level programs to increase access for growth monitoring during the COVID-19 pandemic, notably among mothers living in high transmission of COVID-19. Keywords: COVID-19, Growth Monitoring, Health Services DOI： https://doi.org/10.35741/issn.0258-2724.58.3.64

A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Planned Teaching Program on Knowledge Regarding Selected Nutritional Deficiencies among Mother’s of Under-five Children in Selected Pediatric units of Sangli, Miraj, Kupwad Corporation Area

Aim: The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of planned teaching program on knowledge regarding selected nutritional deficiencies among mothers of under-five children in selected pediatric units of Sangli, Miraj, Kupwad Corporation Area. Introduction: The perception of children has evolved from “Miniature grownups” to “Unique People” with unique needs and characteristics. Priority is given to children under the age of five since they have a higher mortality and morbidity rate due to vitamin deficiency-related diseases. The World Health Day the essential truth that everyone must protect the healthy brains and bodies of the family, as well as the parents’ external happiness, the society’s excitement, and the nation’s hope. Methods: The quasi-experimental quantitative research strategy used group pre- and post-tests. Simple random analysis sampling selected 75 samples for the investigation. Pre- and post-tests were given to mothers of under-5 children to assess their knowledge of selected nutritional deficiencies. Results: At the time of pre-test, 52% of mothers had poor knowledge regarding selected nutritional deficiencies of under-five children, 32% had average knowledge, and 16% had good knowledge. At the time of post-test, 26.67% of mothers had poor knowledge regarding selected nutritional deficiencies of under-five children, 20% had good knowledge, where maximum 53.33% had average knowledge score. The pre-test average score was 8.25 the post-test average score was 10.60. Conclusion: Statistically mean score findings reveal that planned education program about selected nutritional deficiencies increased knowledge among mothers of under-5 children. After planned teaching, mothers of under-5 children still need to learn about dietary deficiencies.