A Comparative Study of The Practice of Exclusive Breastfeeding as Related to the Type of Health Care Provider Assisting Delivery
Date
1998-08
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Ghana
Abstract
This study is an investigation of one of the known factors that contribute to the high
incidence of infant diarrhoea and malnutrition, the low level of the practice of 'exclusive
breast-feeding'. Breast-feeding practice^ were studied in mothers who were assisted at
delivery by different types of care provider in the Akwapim South District of the Eastern
Region of Ghana.
In the Akwapim South District, there is a high incidence of diarrhoea and malnutrition in
infants (MOH. Annual Report, Akwapim South District 1997). The practice of exclusive
breast-feeding is known to significantly reduce the incidence of diarrhoea and some of
the other causes of high infant and under-five mortality and morbidity, and is one way of
addressing this health problem (UNICEF, 1990). However health workers are only now
seriously advocating this practice in an attempt to increase the presently unacceptable low
level of the practice in Ghana. This objective is being achieved through training of health
workers, which equips them with the ability to educate and help mothers to breast-feed
exclusively. The different levels of training given different categories of health care
providers in exclusive breast-feeding gives them varying degrees of capability to ensure
that all babies are exclusively breast-fed from birth till they are at least six months old.
The main objective of the study is to compare the influence of health care providers who
assist mothers during delivery on the practice of exclusive breast-feeding with the view
of investigating the ability of the health service to address the problem of poor infant
feeding practices.
The study was cross-sectional and comparative in that it considered prevalence of the
practice of exclusive breast-feeding as related to the type of health care provider who
gave assistance to the mother during delivery. A structured questionnaire and an
interview guide were used as tools for data collection from mothers of children aged six
to twelve months and service providers respectively. The major findings and (jonclusions of the study were: |
♦ Mothers who were assisted at delivery by orthodox medical practitioners were three
times as likely to practise exclusive breast-feeding of their infants from birth till six
months as those who were assisted by trained traditional birth attendants
♦ Mothers who were assisted at delivery by trained traditional birth attendants were
three times as likely to practise exclusive breast-feeding of their infants from birth till
six months as those who were assisted by untrained traditional birth attendants or
other sources of assistance
♦ Trained traditional birth attendants still have inadequate or incorrect knowledge
attitudes and practices in the promotion of exclusive breast-feeding despite their
training
♦ Majority of the orthodox practitioners in the Akwapim South District have the right
knowledge, attitudes and practices to promote exclusive breast-feeding.
♦ The communities in the Akwapim South District, particularly mothers and
grandmothers need to have intensive health education on exclusive breast-feeding.
The major recommendation made from the study were:
♦ The Ministry of Health needs to continue to train and update the TBA's in the
country. They should be equipped with the required knowledge to enable them
perform as well as the midwives in the district did.
♦ The district health administration needs to organise health education on exclusive
breast-feeding not only for the mothers but also their husbands and the grandmothers
of the infants for them fo have complete acceptance of exclusive breast-feeding.
♦ The midwives in the district need to use supervisory visits they make to TBA outfits
to refresh their minds on the subject and also as a means for the TBA's to voice their
problems including any misunderstandings they may have on the topic.
♦ The DHMT should draw up a program to retrain the TBA's t,j address their problems cjf wrong knowledge, attitudes and practices.
♦ MCH staff should be fully involved in the program to ensure that their supervisory
I 1
and monitory activities are effective
♦ The District Assembly and other institutions that are involved in development
activities in the district should be involved in the activities to ensure thorough
information dissemination to all community members.
♦ The untrained birth attendants should be included in the education campaigns as from
the study, they had very little or no knowledge
♦ Health education at the antenatal clinics must be intensified such that even the
mothers who attend limited number of clinics will be well informed.
Description
Thesis(MPH)-University of Ghana, 1998.