ASSESSING RESPONSIVE CARE AND FEEDING PRACTICES OF MOTHERS/CAREGIVERS AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF CHILDREN 6-24 MONTHS IN SAGNARIGU MUNICIPAL

Abstract

Background: Childhood under nutrition is a significant public health concern in Ghana with the Northern region mostly recording a higher prevalence. Several projects have been launched in the Northern region especially in Sagnarigu municipal where undernutrition is still unacceptably high. The purpose of this study is to investigate the responsive care and feeding practices of mothers/caregivers, and how this affects the nutritional status of children aged 6 to 24 months in Sagnarigu Municipal. Methods: A quantitative facility-based cross-sectional study was carried out, with structured questionnaires used for collecting data. This study employed a multistage sampling technique, with data analyzed using SPSS and WHO Anthropometry software. Bivariate and multiple logistic regression were run to see the association between independent and dependent variables. Results: Only 47.4% of mothers/caregivers practiced responsive care giving. About half of the children 50.4% were exclusively breastfed with 44.4% of mothers weaning their children between the ages 19-23 months. Complementary foods were timely introduced by 58.5% of mothers/caregivers to their children on the sixth month with only 33.0% of children 6-24 months meeting the minimum acceptable diet criterion. Only stunting was found to be associated with minimum dietary diversity. Children who did not meet the minimum dietary diversity were less likely to be stunted [AOR= 0.494; 95% CI (0.079, 0.808); p= 0.020]. Conclusion: Dietary diversity was associated with only stunting. Interestingly, aside the association between stunting and dietary diversity, there was no association between nutritional status and responsive care and the other feeding practices. Recommendation: Health workers should be properly trained and empowered to include counseling on responsive care practices in their work. Mothers/caregivers should be educated on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding and how locally available foods can be used to practice good complementary feeding.