Maternal knowledge towards exclusive breast feeding and its associated factors in Sebeta town, Oroma speical zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Exclusive breast feeding is the best child survival strategy and plays a great role in preventing morbidity and mortality for the first six months. However, a large proportion of infants less than six months were not exclusively breast feed in line with WHO recommendation worldwide as well as in Ethiopia. This might be due to inadequate knowledge of lactating mothers toward exclusive breast feeding. Therefore, assessing the knowledge of lactating mother of infants less than one year toward exclusive breast feeding in Sebeta town, Oromia special zone, Ethiopia may contribute for further improvement of practice and EBF advocacy in the area. Objectives: To assess the level of knowledge toward exclusive breast feeding among lactating mothers of infants aged less than one year and its associated factors in Sebeta town , Oromia special zone, Ethiopia Methods: Facility based cross sectional study was carried out in Sebeta town, Oromia special zone among 460 mother’s infant’s pair using quantitative method from November-December, 2015. The sample was drawn from three public health facilities and proportionally allocated as per client flow rate. Then, study subjects were consecutively interviewed. Data was analyzed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Result: The overall level of knowledge toward EBF is 45% (95% CI, 40.4, and 49.9). Being educated mothers were 7 times more likely to have knowledge toward EBF at AOR=7.23(1.29, 40.22) as compared to their counterparts. The odds of getting message of EBF were 2.7 times more likely to have a good knowledge toward EBF at AOR=2.7(1.5, 4.87) as compared to those who didn’t get a message of EBF. Furthermore, being delivered at private health facility were 3 times more likely to have knowledge of EBF at AOR=3(1.1, 8.3) as compared to those who delivered at home. Conclusion and Recommendation: This study found poor knowledge toward EBF among illiterate mothers, those who didn’t get access to information regarding to EBF and delivered at home; hence, it necessitates the need to give due attention for illiterate mothers, those who didn’t get messages of EBF and mothers who gave birth at home. .......................................... Thesis available at ACIPH Library