Determinants of Weaning Practices Among Mothers of Infants Aged Below 12 Months in Masvingo, Zimbabwe. 2016

Laston Gonah, and Julia Mutambara
Department of Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe.

Poor weaning practices have been reported to contribute to high infant mortality and morbidity rates especially in developing countries. This study sought to determine factors related to weaning that predispose, reinforce and enable mothers of infants younger than age 12 months to comply or not to comply with the World Health Organization (WHO) 2009 guidelines on appropriate infant feeding. The present study was a descriptive cross-sectional study. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on weaning and infant feeding practices from a sample of 300 mothers of infants aged younger than 12 months, resident in the Rujeko community, and registered and seen at the Rujeko Council Clinic during the study time. The study results indicated that noncompliance with WHO infant feeding guidelines was high among the study participants. The rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months was very low (14.8%), with the mean age of introduction of complementary foods to infants of 5 weeks (range 1-24 weeks). Early supplementation of breast milk was not associated with mother's age, level of education, and religion. Scheduled breastfeeding was more prevalent among the mothers who worked outside the home (P = .018). Provision of formal advice and influence from health care workers was found to improve young child feeding and weaning practices among mothers (P = .011). Various weaning methods were used, and mothers identified numerous factors as impeding their efforts to follow proper breastfeeding practices. The findings highlight the need to develop personal skills among mothers to prepare nutritionally balanced diets.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007223 Infant A child between 1 and 23 months of age. Infants
D007225 Infant Food Food processed and manufactured for the nutritional health of children in their first year of life. Food, Infant,Foods, Infant,Infant Foods
D009035 Mothers Female parents, human or animal. Mothers' Clubs,Club, Mothers',Clubs, Mothers',Mother,Mother Clubs,Mother's Clubs,Mothers Clubs,Mothers' Club
D001942 Breast Feeding The nursing of an infant at the breast. Breast Fed,Breastfed,Milk Sharing,Wet Nursing,Breast Feeding, Exclusive,Breastfeeding,Breastfeeding, Exclusive,Exclusive Breast Feeding,Exclusive Breastfeeding,Sharing, Milk
D003430 Cross-Sectional Studies Studies in which the presence or absence of disease or other health-related variables are determined in each member of the study population or in a representative sample at one particular time. This contrasts with LONGITUDINAL STUDIES which are followed over a period of time. Disease Frequency Surveys,Prevalence Studies,Analysis, Cross-Sectional,Cross Sectional Analysis,Cross-Sectional Survey,Surveys, Disease Frequency,Analyses, Cross Sectional,Analyses, Cross-Sectional,Analysis, Cross Sectional,Cross Sectional Analyses,Cross Sectional Studies,Cross Sectional Survey,Cross-Sectional Analyses,Cross-Sectional Analysis,Cross-Sectional Study,Cross-Sectional Surveys,Disease Frequency Survey,Prevalence Study,Studies, Cross-Sectional,Studies, Prevalence,Study, Cross-Sectional,Study, Prevalence,Survey, Cross-Sectional,Survey, Disease Frequency,Surveys, Cross-Sectional
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012959 Socioeconomic Factors Social and economic factors that characterize the individual or group within the social structure. Economic and Social Factors,Social Inequalities,Social Inequality,Social and Economic Factors,Socioeconomic Characteristics,Factors, Socioeconomic,High-Income Population,Land Tenure,Standard of Living,Characteristic, Socioeconomic,Factor, Socioeconomic,High Income Population,High-Income Populations,Inequality, Social,Living Standard,Living Standards,Population, High-Income,Socioeconomic Characteristic,Socioeconomic Factor,Tenure, Land
D014886 Weaning Permanent deprivation of breast milk and commencement of nourishment with other food. (From Stedman, 25th ed) Weanings
D015030 Zimbabwe A republic in southern Africa, east of ZAMBIA and BOTSWANA and west of MOZAMBIQUE. Its capital is Harare. It was formerly called Rhodesia and Southern Rhodesia. Rhodesia, Southern,Southern Rhodesia,Republic of Zimbabwe,Zimbabwe Rhodesia

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