EFFECTIVENESS OF PEER-COUNSELING FOR PROMOTING OPTIMAL COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING PRACTICES AMONG INFANTS BELONGING TO URBAN SLUMS OF DELHI
Journal Title: International Journal of Medical Research & Health Sciences (IJMRHS) - Year 2014, Vol 3, Issue 2
Abstract
Background: Promotion of appropriate complementary feeding practices is important in reducing malnutrition in infants and young children. Yet, India has dismal rates of optimal complementary feeding practices which are not rising. Aim: This study aimed to find the impact of the educational intervention directed through peer counselors to promote optimal complementary feeding practices. Methods and materials: This is an Interventional study, which has been conducted in an urban slum of Delhi using multi-stage random sampling. From the study area two sectors were randomly selected. From one sector, 54 pregnant women were selected who were not given any counselling forming the non-intervention group. From the other sector, 159 pregnant women were selected to form the intervention group (Igr) which were further divided into 3 sub-groups; one sub-group was imparted counselling by a nutrition professional (Igr A; n=53) and the other two (Igr B1;n=53 and Igr B2; n=53) by the peer counselors who where the local health workers trained for promoting optimal infant feeding practices. The infants were followed up till their first birthday and in order to study the impact of counseling, the complementary feeding practices of the intervention and the non-intervention groups have been compared Results: In the intervention groups, the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months was significantly higher as compared to the non-intervention group (67.5 % vs. 4.2 %). In the intervention groups, 2.6 per cent infants received semisolid/ solid foods before the age of 6 months, 75.1 percent between 6 - 7 months and the rest by the age of 9 months. However, in the Non-Igr, the respective figures were 48.9, 19.4 and 25.4 per cent; and at the age of one year, 6.4 per cent infants were still being given predominantly mother’s milk. 99.3 per cent infants in the Igrs as compared to 82.3 per cent in the Non-Igr (P<0.05) continued to receive breast milk till the age of 12 months. Conclusions: The promotion of optimal complementary feeding through appropriately trained peer counselors is feasible, although it is can only be achieved through consistent efforts and adequate training/monitoring of such interventions.
Authors and Affiliations
Sabharwal Vandana| Assistant Professor in Nutrition, Institute of Home Economics, Former Director, Institute of Home Economics Department of Foods and Nutrition, Institute of Home Economics, (University of Delhi), F-4 Hauz Khas Enclave, New Delhi, Corresponding author email: vandanasabharwal25@gmail.com, Passi Santosh Jain| Assistant Professor in Nutrition, Institute of Home Economics, Former Director, Institute of Home Economics Department of Foods and Nutrition, Institute of Home Economics, (University of Delhi), F-4 Hauz Khas Enclave, New Delhi
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP11161
- DOI 10.5958/j.2319-5886.3.2.062
- Views 256
- Downloads 14
A study on the incidence of preterm rupture of membranes in pregnant women caused by Mycoplasmahoministhrough comparison ofculture and PCR techniques in theAlavi Hospital of Ardabil Province
Mycoplasma hominis one of the smallest free-living prokaryotes that lack peptidoglycan in the cell wall. It is also a well-known pathogenic Mycoplasmain the human reproductive system that causes abortion, bacterial vagi...
EFFECTIVENESS OF RESISTED ABDOMINAL EXERCISE VERSUS RESISTED DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING EXERCISE ON CARDIO VASCULAR ENDURANCE IN SPORTS MEN
Background and Purpose: The purpose of the study is to compare the effectiveness of resisted abdominal exercise and resisted diaphragmatic breathing exercise on cardiovascular endurance to prescribe a fitness program....
Beneft of Selective Inspiratory Muscles Training on Respiratory Failure Patients
The purpose of this research was to detect the effect of training of inspiratory muscle on respiratory failure patients. Method: Thirty patients with respiratory failure were selected from Cairo university hospital (cri...
Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES) Associated with Eclampsia: A Case Study
The occurrence of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) in patients with eclampsia is a rare condition. PRES is a reversible syndrome characterized by headache, seizure, altered mentation and loss of visio...
Evaluation of the Frequency of Upper and Lower Extremity Injuries in Victims of Road Traffic Accidents Referred to Shahid Rajaee Trauma Hospital during March-August 2015
Trauma is the first mortality cause in developing countries. In addition, one of the leading causes of disability in these countries has been considered as health-related economic losses. This study aimed to evaluate th...