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Prevalence of and factors associated with early initiation of breastfeeding among women with children aged < 24 months in Kilimanjaro region, northern Tanzania : A community-based cross-sectional study

Ali, Farida ; Mgongo, Melina ; Mamseri, Redempta ; George, Johnston M. ; Mboya, Innocent B. LU orcid and Msuya, Sia E. (2020) In International Breastfeeding Journal 15. p.1-10
Abstract

Background: Early initiation of breastfeeding offers nutritional and immunological benefits to the newborn, which is critical for health and survival. Understanding factors associated with timely initiation of breastfeeding is crucial for healthcare providers and policy-makers. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and factors associated with early initiation of breastfeeding among mothers with children < 24 months of age in the Kilimanjaro region, Northern Tanzania. Methods: This study utilized secondary data from a cross-sectional survey conducted in April 2016 and April 2017 in the Kilimanjaro region. A multistage sampling technique was used to select study participants and interviewed using a questionnaire. A total of 1644... (More)

Background: Early initiation of breastfeeding offers nutritional and immunological benefits to the newborn, which is critical for health and survival. Understanding factors associated with timely initiation of breastfeeding is crucial for healthcare providers and policy-makers. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and factors associated with early initiation of breastfeeding among mothers with children < 24 months of age in the Kilimanjaro region, Northern Tanzania. Methods: This study utilized secondary data from a cross-sectional survey conducted in April 2016 and April 2017 in the Kilimanjaro region. A multistage sampling technique was used to select study participants and interviewed using a questionnaire. A total of 1644 women with children aged < 24 months were analyzed. Modified Poisson regression models were used to determine factors independently associated with early initiation of breastfeeding, within first hour of life. Results: The prevalence of early initiation of breastfeeding in the Kilimanjaro region was 70%, ranging from 64% in Same to 80% in Siha districts. The prevalence of early initiation of breastfeeding was lower among women who initiated prelacteal feeding compared to their counterparts (prevalence ratio [PR] 0.42; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.34, 0.53). Likewise, women living in Same and Hai district had lower prevalence of early initiation of breastfeeding compared to women in Rombo (PR 0.8; 95% CI 0.76, 0.93) and (PR 0.89, 95% CI 0.80, 0.98) respectively. Higher prevalence of early initiation of breastfeeding was found in women with primary education compared to those with secondary education (PR 1.09; 95% CI 1.003, 1.18), and among women with two children compared to one child (PR 1.14, 95% CI 1.03, 1.26). Conclusions: Early initiation of breastfeeding practice was suboptimal in this study. To improve early initiation of breastfeeding, healthcare providers at reproductive and child health clinics and labour wards should discourage women from prelacteal feeding, give more support to women with one child and those with secondary level of education and above. Furthermore, a qualitative study is crucial to understand the reasons for low prevalence of early initiation of breastfeeding in Same and Hai districts.

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author
; ; ; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
keywords
Breastfeeding, Early initiation of breastfeeding, Prevalence
in
International Breastfeeding Journal
volume
15
article number
80
pages
1 - 10
publisher
BioMed Central (BMC)
external identifiers
  • pmid:32912320
  • scopus:85090819612
ISSN
1746-4358
DOI
10.1186/s13006-020-00322-8
language
English
LU publication?
no
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2020 The Author(s).
id
52788192-32f4-49d1-94c7-b80a3a12c869
date added to LUP
2022-09-29 10:06:46
date last changed
2024-04-18 14:36:57
@article{52788192-32f4-49d1-94c7-b80a3a12c869,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Early initiation of breastfeeding offers nutritional and immunological benefits to the newborn, which is critical for health and survival. Understanding factors associated with timely initiation of breastfeeding is crucial for healthcare providers and policy-makers. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and factors associated with early initiation of breastfeeding among mothers with children &lt; 24 months of age in the Kilimanjaro region, Northern Tanzania. Methods: This study utilized secondary data from a cross-sectional survey conducted in April 2016 and April 2017 in the Kilimanjaro region. A multistage sampling technique was used to select study participants and interviewed using a questionnaire. A total of 1644 women with children aged &lt; 24 months were analyzed. Modified Poisson regression models were used to determine factors independently associated with early initiation of breastfeeding, within first hour of life. Results: The prevalence of early initiation of breastfeeding in the Kilimanjaro region was 70%, ranging from 64% in Same to 80% in Siha districts. The prevalence of early initiation of breastfeeding was lower among women who initiated prelacteal feeding compared to their counterparts (prevalence ratio [PR] 0.42; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.34, 0.53). Likewise, women living in Same and Hai district had lower prevalence of early initiation of breastfeeding compared to women in Rombo (PR 0.8; 95% CI 0.76, 0.93) and (PR 0.89, 95% CI 0.80, 0.98) respectively. Higher prevalence of early initiation of breastfeeding was found in women with primary education compared to those with secondary education (PR 1.09; 95% CI 1.003, 1.18), and among women with two children compared to one child (PR 1.14, 95% CI 1.03, 1.26). Conclusions: Early initiation of breastfeeding practice was suboptimal in this study. To improve early initiation of breastfeeding, healthcare providers at reproductive and child health clinics and labour wards should discourage women from prelacteal feeding, give more support to women with one child and those with secondary level of education and above. Furthermore, a qualitative study is crucial to understand the reasons for low prevalence of early initiation of breastfeeding in Same and Hai districts. </p>}},
  author       = {{Ali, Farida and Mgongo, Melina and Mamseri, Redempta and George, Johnston M. and Mboya, Innocent B. and Msuya, Sia E.}},
  issn         = {{1746-4358}},
  keywords     = {{Breastfeeding; Early initiation of breastfeeding; Prevalence}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{1--10}},
  publisher    = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
  series       = {{International Breastfeeding Journal}},
  title        = {{Prevalence of and factors associated with early initiation of breastfeeding among women with children aged < 24 months in Kilimanjaro region, northern Tanzania : A community-based cross-sectional study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13006-020-00322-8}},
  doi          = {{10.1186/s13006-020-00322-8}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}