SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS OF KEY NUTRITION AND HEALTH RELATED HOUSEHOLD AND COMMUNITY PRACTICES IN RURAL BARODA, GUJARAT - THE IMCI APPROACH

摘要

The present study was a situational analysis of household and communitypractices as per IMCI (Integrated Management of Childhood Illness) framework in ruralBaroda, Gujarat. One PHC (Primary Health Centre) was purposively selected and out of the17 AWCs (Anganwadi Centers) under this PHC, 6 were randomly selected. All householdsunder these 6 AWCs having children less than three years of age were enrolled in thestudy. Data for knowledge, attitude and practices regarding 12 key family & communitypractices, nutrition & health services utilization for children and existing perceptions aboutinfant feeding practices was elicited from mothers using a pretested questionnaire and focusgroup discussions. Results revealed that 38% mothers did not feed colostrum to the child inspite of most of them being advised to do so by TBA and Doctor/ANM (Auxiliary NurseMidwife). Most households used open areas for waste disposal. Proper disposal of children'sfeces was practiced only by 7% of the households. While few mothers knew about ORSpackets, none of them knew the correct method of preparation and only 17% of the childrenwith diarrhea in the past 2 weeks were given ORS. About 31% of the pregnant women didnot get themselves immunized for TT and most of the deliveries took place at home.Supplementary food was the most frequently used service followed by growth monitoringwhile other services like preventive health check up were not used at all. The study thusindicates an urgent need to impart appropriate nutrition health education using behaviourchange communication strategies.