TIMELY INITIATION OF COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING PRACTICE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG MOTHERS /CARE GIVERS OF CHILDREN AGED 6 to 23 MONTHS, IN HIDEBU ABOTE DISRICT, NORTH SHOA ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Background;-Exclusive breastfeeding is critical and adequate for the first six months of child, however; after six months breast milk alone is no longer sufficient to meet late infant’s nutritional requirements. Therefore, timely starting nutritionally adequate, safe, age appropriate complementary feeding is recommended for better health and development of infants. Various studies indicated that promotion of good complementary feeding practices reduces the incidence of stunting and leads to better health and growth outcome; although different study was conducted elsewhere, optimal complementary feeding practice was still a problem in low income countries like Ethiopia including study area. Objectives: This study was aimed to assess the prevalence of timely initiation of complementary feeding practice and associated factors among mothers/care givers of children aged 6 to 23 months, in Hidebu Abote district, North Shoa zone, Ethiopia. Methods: A community based cross-sectional study design was conducted among 453 with mothers/Care giver of children aged 6–23 months (mother-child pair) from February 20/2018-March 19/2018. The district has 19 rural kebeles and five kebeles were selected by lottery method among rural kebeles. By considering kebeles as a cluster all children aged 6-23 from selected kebeles was included. Data were collected using a structured pretested interviewer administered questionnaire. Descriptive statics was used to describe data, bi-variable logistic regression analyses done to assess the association between each independent variable and the dependent variable .Multivariable logistic regression was used to control for all possible confounders outcome, Odds ratio along with 95% confidence interval was estimated to measure the strength of the association. Level of statistical significance was declared at p-value <0.05 Result: Overall prevalence of timely initiation of complementary feeding practice was 59.8%, 95% CI: (55.6%, 64.2%). In multivariable analysis; Having Antenatal care visits, [AOR= (4.07, 95% CI:(1.8,8.8)], Post natal care, [AOR=(2.12, 95 % CI: (1.2,3.8)] , Being married, [AOR=(3.4, 95 % CI: (1.4, 8.4)] and Getting Information about complementary feeding from health care providers, [AOR = (7.9, 95 % CI :( 4.0-15.01)] were positively associated with timely initiation of complementary feeding practice. Conclusion and recommendation: In this study prevalence of timely initiation of complementary feeding practice was almost 60% which is relatively low when compared with study done some else in Ethiopia. Antenatal care and postnatal care service attendance, marital status and getting health information from health care providers were significantly associated with complementary feeding practice, Thus, an effort should be made by all relevant stakes in designing appropriate interventions to improve, complementary feeding practice of the target population.