The practices of caretakers regarding infant nutrition at Apac General Hospital, Apac district, Uganda. Cross-sectional study.

Résumé fourni par la source

Background:Optimal infant nutrition is essential for child survival, growth, and development. In Uganda, inappropriate infant feeding practices continue to contribute to undernutrition and poor child health outcomes. This study aimed to assess the practices of caretakers regarding infant nutrition at Apac General Hospital in Apac District, Uganda. Methods:A descriptive cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted among caretakers of infants aged 0–12 months attending the child health clinic at Apac General Hospital. A sample size of 96 caretakers was determined using the Kish and Leslie (1965) method. Data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data were checked for completeness, coded, and entered into SPSS version 26 for analysis. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were used to summarize the findings. Results:Most respondents were aged 18–24 years (54.2%) and were biological mothers (62.5%). Over half had secondary education (52.1%), and the majority were farmers (45.8%). About 62.5% of infants were exclusively breastfed for the first six months, while 37.5% were not. Among those who did not practice exclusive breastfeeding, 44.4% introduced other foods at 4–5 months, mainly due to inadequate breast milk (41.7%). The majority of caregivers (63.5%) received information on exclusive breastfeeding from health workers. Complementary foods were mostly introduced after six months (62.5%), with animal-source foods (45.8%) and porridge (31.2%) commonly given. Most infants (63.5%) received five or more meals per day, and 59.4% of caregivers reported following consistent feeding routines. Conclusion:Most caretakers practiced exclusive breastfeeding and maintained adequate feeding frequency, although some introduced complementary foods earlier than recommended. Recommendations:Health workers should strengthen nutrition education on exclusive breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding to improve infant feeding practices.

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