Mothers’ Knowledge, Understanding, and Use of the Bubble Chart in a Rural Area of Central Mexico

Abstract

The bubble chart is a growth chart that has a vertical layout rather than the more common horizontal one, and bubbles instead of cries-crossing lines. The present project aimed to evaluate knowledge, understanding, and use of the bubble chart by 85 mothers living in a rural area of central Mexico. The evaluation was done with a pre-intervention post-intervention design, and was based on Bloom's taxonomy of the learning process, which defines a sequence that goes from knowledge to understanding (comprising translation, interpretation, and extrapolation), and finally to application. All areas evaluated showed an increase between pre-intervention and post-intervention, with a statistically significant (p <.05) increase in knowledge, interpretation, and application; the mothers ranked highest in knowledge. The children's nutritional status increased significantly (p <.0001) between pre-intervention and post-intervention. Except for one child, they had at least one period of weight loss during the study period. However, 81% of them gained weight most of the time (i.e., at least two-thirds of records showed weight increments), 7% maintained their weight most of the time (at least two-thirds of weight records showed neither gain nor loss), and 12% lost weight most of the time (at least two-thirds of records showed weight loss). Mothers of children who mostly gained weight had higher knowledge, understanding, and application scores (p <.01). Similarly, these mothers were most likely to perform all the activities promoted as part of the growth programme (p <.001).

Knowledge and practices of pre-school teachers on growth monitoring program--South Africa

“…Low literacy has an impact on understanding growth charts; however, mothers in a predominantly illiterate population can understand the basic principles of the chart components ( Grant and Stone, 1986 ). Regardless of literacy or level of education, mothers who receive instruction on reading growth charts demonstrate markedly better understanding compared with mothers who do not receive such training ( Martinez et al , 1996 ).…”