Sick Child Feeding Practices and Associated Factors Among Mothers of Sick Children Aged Less Than Two Years in Dire Dawa City Administration Public Health Facility, Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Sick child feeding is important; feed your baby more often to help fight the illness, reduce weight loss, and recover quickly. Globally, about 40% of deaths of those under two years of age are attributed to inappropriate infant and young child feeding practices. In Ethiopia, a large range of inappropriate feeding practices of mothers of young children was documented. However, there was limited information on sick child feeding practices in low-income countries like Ethiopia, especially in the study area. The study aims to assess the magnitude of sick child feeding practices and associated factors among mothers of sick children aged less than 2 years in the Dire Dawa city administration.

Method: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 17 to June 17, 2021. Study participants were recruited by using the systematic random sampling technique. A pretested questionnaire was used for data collection. The data were checked for their completeness and consistency each day, and the collected data were coded and entered into organized Excel and analyzed by using Statistical Package for Social Science version 20. The logistic regression assumption was checked and fitted at P > 0.05.

Results: Almost all of the mothers had antenatal care follow-up (90.9%), but nearly one-fourth of the respondents (25.6%) had gotten counseling on infant and young child feeding. About 90.4% of mothers gave birth to an index child at a health institution and were assisted by a health professional. The magnitude of good feeding practice during sickness in children was 52.4% (95% CI: 47.8%, 57.2%). Those mothers who had received counseling about sick child feeding were 2.6 times more likely to feed sick children appropriately than those mothers who had not received counseling about sick child feeding. Postnatal care follow-up (AOR = 2.89; 95% CI: 1.72, 4.90) and access to counseling on infant and young child feeding (AOR = 2.58; 95% CI: 1.55, 4.29) were factors that have a statistically significant association with the mother’s sick child feeding practice.

Conclusion: The overall magnitude of good infant and young child feeding practices of sick children was moderate in the Dire Dawa city administration. Postnatal follow-up and counseling on infant and young child feeding indicators were independently associated with feeding practices of sick children.