EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING PRACTICE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG HIV POSITIVE MOTHERS OF INFANTS AGED 6-24 MONTHS IN PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITIES OF ADAM TOWN, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Exclusive breastfeeding offers an affordable, culturally acceptable and effective means of reducing mother to child transmission of Human Immunity Virus while maintaining the benefits of breastfeeding.It has been practiced all over the world as the best cost effective way of feeding infants. Despite its benefits, the practice of exclusive breastfeeding among Human Immunity Viruspositive mothers is low in Ethiopia, including in Adama town. Objectives: The main objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of exclusive breast feeding practice and associated factors among Human Immunity Virus positive mothers of infant‟s 6-24months in public health facilities of Adama town, Eastern Ethiopia during the study period Method:A facility based cross-sectional study was conducted among 254 Human Immunity Virus positives mothers with infants aged 6-24 months. Data were collected using the structure and pre-tested questionnaire in randomly selected public health facilities of Adama town., Data were entered to EpiData version 3.1 and exported to STATA version 16.0 for analysis. The characteristics of the study participants were described by frequencies, percentages, summary measures, tables and graphs. Both bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the associated factors of exclusive breastfeeding; crude and adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervalswere estimated to show the existence, strength and direction of associations. The level of statistical significance was declared at p<0.05. Results:The result show that the magnitude exclusive breastfeeding218(87.2%). Exclusive breastfeeding was more practice by mothers who had earned average monthly income ≥501ETB[(Adjusted [(AOR=3.86, 95% CI: ((1.25,11.58)]mothers who spontaneous vaginal delivery (Adjusted OR=2.74,95% CI: ((1.01,7.41)]and mothers of children‟s weight were ≤2.4kg[(AOR=4.32, 95% CI: ((1.58,11.80)] Conclusion and recommendation:The magnitude of Exclusive breastfeeding this study area was high. Exclusive breastfed was more practice mother who had earned average monthly income had high.HIV positive mothers are faced with multiple challenges as they strive to practice exclusive breastfeeding. Promote mothers will be good to increase their monthly income More extensive and comprehensive approach of infant feeding counseling with emphasis on behavioral change programmers in the context of HIV/AIDS within communities is advocated