Publications

This research aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices amongmothers caring for children aged 6 months to 2 years regarding ComplementaryFeeding (CF). Conducted over a one-month period from October to November 2020, thisdescriptive cross-sectional study engaged 206 Mothers/caretakers attending IshakaAdventist Hospital OPD for various child health concerns, including immunization andgrowth monitoring. Participants were selected randomly based on their arrival order atthe hospital during the study period. Data collection involved researcher-administeredquestionnaires for illiterate participants and self-administered questionnaires forliterate individuals after obtaining consent. Participants' comprehension and executionof complementary feeding practices were assessed through their responses. Data entryand analysis utilized EPI-DATA and STATA 17 software. Univariate analysis determinedfrequency, mean, mode, and percentage of participant responses, while bivariateanalysis explored the relationship between knowledge and attitude, and betweenknowledge and practices among mothers/caretakers at Ishaka Adventist Hospital'spediatric OPD. Findings revealed that only 4% of participants were knowledgeableabout the frequency of both Complementary Feeding (CF) and Breastfeeding (BF) forinfants and the ideal diet composition. However, 63% were aware of the appropriateages to initiate CF and stop BF, along with the consequences of delayed CF initiation.Although 85.5% commenced CF at the recommended age of six months, merely 4.3%provided adequate quantity and quality of complementary feeds to their infants. Thestudy discovered statistically significant associations between proper/poor CFpractices and respondents' age, education level, socio-economic status, and number ofchildren in the household. Despite varied practices, participants generally exhibitedpositive and supportive attitudes toward CF.Keywords: Breast milk, Malnutrition, Immunization, Complementary Feeding, Babies