Poor Hygiene Practices Related to Complementary Feeding and its Associated Factors among Mothers of Children Aged 6-23 Months in Lemo District, Central Ethiopia, 2024: Cross-sectional study.

Poor Hygiene Practices Related to Complementary Feeding and its Associated Factors among Mothers of Children Aged 6-23 Month

Abstract

Background: Poor hygiene practices during this phase can lead to foodborne diseases and inadequate nutrient intake. Objective: To assess poor hygienic practice related to complementary feeding and associated factors among mothers of children aged 6-23 months in Lemo District, 2023. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from September to November 2023, utilizing a systematic sampling technique. A total of 402 mother-child pairs were randomly selected for participation. In the multivariable binary logistic regression analysis, variables with a p-value less than 0.05 were deemed to be statistically significant. Results: The prevalence of poor hygienic practices related to complementary feeding among mothers of children aged 6-23 months was found to be 65%. Factors significantly associated with it was the absence of a separate kitchen [AOR = 3.17, 95% CI: (1.32, 7.59)], lack of access to a protected source of drinking water [AOR = 8.17, 95% CI: (3.06, 18.7)], and lack of access to media [AOR = 2.12, 95% CI: (1.25, 3.6)]. Conclusion: The study revealed a significant prevalence of inadequate hygienic practices in the context of complementary feeding among mothers. The absence of separate kitchen, unprotected source of drinking water, and a lack of exposure to media were associated factors.