Complementary feeding practices and associated factors among HIV positive mothers in Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess complementary feeding practices and associated factors among HIV exposed infants in Sidama Zone, Southern Ethiopia. An institutional based cross-sectional study with cluster random sampling technique was employed and all HIV exposed infants aged 6-17 months found in randomly selected health institutions in Sidama zone, Southern Ethiopia were included. A 24-hour dietary recall and 7-day quasi-food group frequency was used to assess complementary feeding practices. The prevalence of timely initiation of complementary feeding (6-8 months) was 42% [95% CI: (30-54%)]. Of all the HIV exposed infants aged 6-17 months, 40.7% had practiced bottle-feeding. About 65.6% and 53.3% of HIV exposed infants did not receive the recommended number of food groups and frequency of complementary feeding in the last 24 hours respectively. Pulse (plant protein) was consumed by only 22.5% of the infants while only 9.9% of the infants consumed animal source food in the last 24 hours. Presence of infant food prohibition (β = -0.342, P = 0.001) and age of the infant (β = 0.311, P = 0.001) were found to be an independent predictors of dietary diversity. Presence of infant food prohibition (β = -0.181, P = 0.02) and age of infant (β = 0.388, P < 0.001) were also the predictors of 24 hour meal frequency. Having lower educational status [AOR = (0.21, 95% CI (0.062-0.71)] was an independent negative predictor of bottle-feeding practice. Many of the complementary feeding practices like meal frequency; dietary diversity and bottle-feeding were sub-optimal. Nutrition education should be designed for improving complementary feeding practices of HIV exposed infants in Sidama Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Mothers with higher educational status should be also targeted for nutrition education especially on bottle feeding practice.

Initiation of Complementary Feeding and Associated Factors Among Children of Age 6-23 Months in Sodo Town, Southern EthiopiA: Cross-Sectional Study

“…As compared to mothers/ caregivers who achieving maximum schooling (ten and above), illiterate mothers/ caregivers were less likely to initiate complementary food at six months of age. This finding is nearly consistent with findings from southern Ethiopia (Sidama zone), Northern Ethiopia (Mekele), Pakistan, South India and five European countries 14 , 15 , 19-21 but finding from Nepal, Lebanon and Axum, north Ethiopia 16 , 18 , 22 reports that educational status did not show statistical significance. This may be due to as educational status increase; better knowledge they have and easily aware of new information and put into practice.…”

Infants and young children feeding practice and associated factors among HIV positive mothers of children 0–23 months in health centers of Gulele sub-city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

“…This study showed that HIV positive mothers who had adequate knowledge on infant feeding were 1.8 times more likely to have recommended way of infant feeding practice than those who had inadequate knowledge which is supported by a study conducted in Guraghe zone, that showed 1.9 times more likely to have recommended way that can be justified by similarity in age and health care service they might got throughout the country [8, 10]. This finding is in line with similar researches conducted in Addis Ababa and Mekele due to the fact that, in most low income countries female headed families face economic problems that hinder them to have appropriate feeding choice [11]. Moreover, families with nobody to take care or supported by grandparent might fail in setting necessary economical support that makes the difference from which both parents take over [12].…”

Timely Initiation of Complementary Feeding and Associated Factors among Mothers of Children Aged 6–24 Months in Dessie Referral Hospital, Northeast Ethiopia, 2019

“…In this study, the prevalence of timely initiation of complementary feeding among children in 6–24 months of age in Dessie Referral Hospital was 65.1% with 95% CI (59.3%–70.5%), which was in line with studies conducted in public health facilities found in Mekelle Town, Northern Ethiopia (62.8%) [ 4 ], and Lalibela (63%) [ 16 ]. This study finding was higher than the national prevalence (51%) [ 23 ], result from study in India (42.1%) [ 24 ], Nigeria (41%) [ 5 ], Nepal (57%) [ 6 ], and Sidama Zone Southern Ethiopia (42%) [ 7 ]. This difference might be due to sociodemographic character difference, wealth status difference, and activeness of the society.…”

“…But most mothers do not start complementary feeding at appropriate time [ 3 – 6 ]. Children are at increased risk of malnutrition starting from six months because breast milk alone is not sufficient to give the required nutrient contents [ 7 ].…”