Assessment of different breastfeeding practices and nutritional status of children below the age of five years in Sheema district, Uganda
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Date
2018-11
Authors
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Publisher
Kampala International University, School of Health Sciences
Abstract
The aim of this study was to assess the effects of the different breastfeeding practices on the nutritional status of children between the ages of 0 to 5 years. The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study using quantitative methods. The calculated sample was 206.Data was collected from the breastfeeding mothers. Data was coded and tabulated using SPSS program. The study showed that of the 203 children that were interviewed, 96% were healthy and only 4% were malnourished this basically indicated that the mothers had adequate knowledge and information about the different breastfeeding practices to enhance proper growth and development of their children, the good available antenatal and child health care services and programs like immunization provided at the health facility also played a key role in increased prevalence rates of healthy children with a few malnourished children. The 4% of the children that are malnourished is basically because of the inadequate and improper breastfeeding practices among children, poor balanced diet for those that have started complementary feeding, busy working schedule for those that are working and yet are mothers who need to breast feed their children. It was concluded that maternal and child care services should be provided to both mothers and their children at their own times of convenience to reduce on the rates of absenteeism from these health care services provided like immunization which predispose and increase the rates of malnutrition
Description
A research report submitted to the Faculty of Clinical Medicine and Dentistry in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of a degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery of Kampala International University
Keywords
Breastfeeding practices, Nutritional status, Sheema district, Western Uganda