FORMULA FEEDING PRACTICE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG MOTHERS WITH 0-23 MONTHS OF AGE CHILDREN ATTENDING EPI SERVICE AT PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTIONS IN CHIRO TOWN, WEST HARARGHE ZONE, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Background: The absence of exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life is a significant risk factor for newborn and childhood morbidity and mortality.Despite the fact the formula feeding has increased dramatically in urban areas, there is limitted scientific evidence available about the practice of formula feeding and the associated factors in developing countries like Ethiopia, particularly at Eastern Ethiopia. In order to interervene the situation, it was necessary to assess actual practice of formula feeding and its factors. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the practice of formula feeding and associated factors among mothers with children aged from 0-23 months attending EPI service atpublic health institutions in Chiro town, West Hararghe Zone, Eastern Ethiopia from February 15, 2022 to March 30, 2022. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study design was conducted among 421 mothers who visiting Chiro Town public health facilities. Structured and pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect the data. The data was cleaned, coded, entered into Epi-data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis. Descriptive statistics was used to describe the variables and binary logistic regression model was fitted to identify factors associated with formula feeding practice.Odds Ratio with a 95% confidence interval was computed and level of statistical significance was declared at P-value less than 0.05. Result: The finding of this study revealed that the overall prevalence of formula feeding practice among mothers with under two aged children were 40.1 %( 95% CI: 35.6, 44.7). Birth by caesarian section for index child (AOR =3.00; 95% CI: 1.79, 5.03), employed mothers (AOR =9.92; 95% CI5.03, 19.55), 0-5 months (AOR = 0.46; 95% CI: 0.21, 0.98) and 6-11 months (AOR = 0.06; 95% CI: 0.03, 0.14) were negatively associated with formula feeding practice and no postnatal attendance for index child (AOR = 1.92; 95%CI: 1.09, 3.38) were significantly associated with formula feeding practice. Conclusion: Around two-fifth of the mothers were practice formula feeding. Mode of delivery, employment status, infant age, and PNC attendance were important factors for the practice of formula feeding. Thus, nutritional intervention through establishing care centers for infants at working area that targeting employed mothers, with no post natal care and mothers with infants above the age of 12 months should be instituted.