Gap between awareness and practices regarding maternal and child health among women in an urban slum community.
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2008-05-28
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the knowledge of ever-married women regarding maternal and child health and to assess existing gap between awareness and practice levels of lactating mothers.
METHODS: Community based cross sectional study with 283 ever-married women in the reproductive age.
RESULTS: Low levels of awareness and practice of TT immunization (74.2% awareness, 58.1% practice), five-cleans (31.9% awareness and 14.4% practice), trained birth attendant (69.6% awareness 39.1% practice), and post-natal care (75.4% awareness and 51.0% practice) among lactating mothers. Knowledge regarding optimal infant and young child feeding practices was very poor: initiation of breast-feeding within six hours (17.4%), colostrum feeding (34.8%), exclusive breastfeeding (5.8%) and significant gaps between knowledge and practice were observed. Highly significant difference (P<0.001) between proportions of women aware of ICDS (59.4%) and of beneficiaries (21.7%). High levels of awareness regarding reproductive health parameters except for contraception: desire for two children (81.6%), legal ages at marriages for girls (84.5%), desired birth interval of three or more years (71.7%).
CONCLUSION: Wide gaps exist between awareness and practices related with MCH due to non-adoption of knowledge into actual practice, except some selected components lacking in both knowledge as well as practice. Need for bridging the existing gaps avoiding socio-cultural barriers and misconceptions prevailing in the community and by promoting and protecting healthy MCH care practices.
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Kumar D, Goel NK, Kalia M, Swami HM, Singh R. Gap between awareness and practices regarding maternal and child health among women in an urban slum community. Indian Journal of Pediatrics. 2008 May; 75(5): 455-8