AN ASSESSMENT OF THE WHO/UNICEF KEY HOUSEHOLD PRACTICES IN EDO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Introduction: Adequate knowledge of and positive attitude towards the key household practices among caregivers are very important in the reduction of morbidity and mortality among under five children and mothers. This study aimed to assess the key household practices of growth promotion and development, care seeking and compliance in Edo State, Nigeria.
Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used and data was collected using pretested structured interviewer-administered questionnaire, a focus group discussion guide and an observational check list. Three hundred and seventy caregivers were selected using a multistage sampling technique and all the 43 government owned primary healthcare centres in the three selected Local Government Areas were used for this study. Data was analysed using SPSS version 16. Results are presented in frequency tables and diagrams and level of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.
Results: A majority, 230 (62.2%) of the respondents were in the age group of 25 – 34 years with a mean age of 31.1 ± 5.9 years. A greater proportion 234 (63.2%) had secondary education and over three quarter 283 (76.5%) of the respondents were in the unskilled social class. A higher proportion of respondents 194 (52.4%) had poor knowledge of complementary feeding and over three quarter 284 (76.8%) had poor knowledge of adequate micronutrient through diet and supplementation. Three quarter of the respondents who were professionals 6 (75.0%) and middle level 58 (73.4%) had excellent and good knowledge of the key household practices compared to the unskilled respondents. This association between occupation of respondents and knowledge of the key household practices was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Unskilled respondents were less likely to have good knowledge compared to those who were skilled by odds of 0.132. This was statistically significant (p < 0.001, CI = 0.052 – 0.331).
One hundred and ninety six (53.0%) of the respondents had negative attitude towards the key household practice of complementary feeding as from six months while continuing breast feeding for two years. While almost all the respondents 369 (99.7%) and 368 (99.5%) had positive attitude towards completion of full course of immunization by one year of age and recognition by caregivers/mother when child needs treatment outside home respectively.
A greater proportion of the respondents had poor practice of exclusive breast feeding 259 (70.0%), complementary feeding 321 (86.8%) and promotion of mental and psychosocial health 311 (84.1%). Concerning male participation in child care and reproductive health activities, the female focus group discussants said “Men do not look after their wives, they use to maltreat we women, if the woman wants to go for antenatal care, they will not give money to the woman for check up and on the day of delivery of the woman there might be danger and problems and the woman is on her own” A majority, 41 (95.3%) of the health facilities were not ready with regards to the key household practices.
Conclusion: There was poor knowledge and practice of most of the key household practices. Among the factors affecting the knowledge of key household practices was social status of the respondents. There was poor male involvement and poor health facility readiness with regards to the key household practices. There should be vigorous promotion of the key household practices in the communities through the various healthcare facilities using health campaigns so as to improve the knowledge, practice and sustain the positive attitude of the respondents towards the key household practices.

AN ASSESSMENT OF THE WHO/UNICEF KEY HOUSEHOLD PRACTICES IN EDO STATE, NIGERIA