Abstract:
Abstract
Introduction: - Child feeding practice is the process of providing a child with other foods and liquids to
meet the nutrient requirement when breast milk is no longer sufficient from the age of six months. Since
women in developing world settings gain access to formal work sectors, it is important to
understand how such changes might influence child feeding practice
Objective: - To assess appropriate child feeding practices and associated factors among employed and
unemployed mothers of children aged 6 to 24 months in Gondar town, 2022
Method – A community-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from May 1 –June 10,
2022. A multistage sampling technique was used to select the study participants (1115). A standard and
validated tool that was adapted from EDHS and WHO with an interviewer-administered questionnaire was
used to collect the data. Epi data Version 4.6.0 was used to enter the data and analyzed using SPSS 25.
Both (bi-variable) and multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to identify factors associated
with the appropriate child feeding practice among employed, unemployed, and all mothers. Finally, an
adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval and p-value of less than 0.05 was used to report factors
independently associated with appropriate complementary feeding practice.
Results: overall 36.9% of all mothers were practicing child feeding with 38.5% among employed and
35.3% among unemployed mothers. After controlling for confounders, mothers with college and above
education [AOR=3.5;95% CI:(1.34,8.95)] good knowledge, [AOR=2.08;95%CI (1.4,3.07)],Marital status
[AOR=2.38;95% CI (1.17,4.85)], use separate dishes[AOR=1.85; 95% CI: (1.23,2.79)].Currently
breastfeed their child [AOR=5.3; 95%CI: (1.98, 14.32), and child age [AOR= 0.51; 95% CI :( 0.28, 0.93)]
were significantly associated with appropriate child feeding practice of unemployed mothers while maternal
education [AOR= 0.50; 95% CI: (0.28, 0.90), currently breastfeed their child [AOR= 7.82; 95% CI: (2.92,
20.89)]. Knowledge [AOR= 2.16; 95% CI: (1.44, 3.26)]. Birth interval [AOR= 1.92; 95% CI :( 1.2, 3.1)].
Were significantly associated with appropriate child feeding practice among employed mothers.
Conclusion and recommendation:- the magnitude of appropriate child feeding practice was low in
employed, unemployed, and overall mothers. so Governmental, non-governmental organizations and
health care professionals should involve in giving education about child feeding practices,
increasing wealth status of the community, and promoting marriage and breastfeeding to achieve
appropriate child feeding practices.
Keywords:-child feeding practice, employed, unemployed, comparative
