Scott Ickes|Taylor E. Hurst|Valerie L. Flax
Maternal Literacy, Facility Birth, and Education Are Positively Associated with Better Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices and Nutritional Status among Ugandan Children1–3
William & Mary|Williams (United States)|William & Mary|Williams (United States)|University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
background understanding maternal factors influence child feeding necessary inform intervention planning settings mothers experience substantial social vulnerabilities objective purpose study assess maternal sociodemographic factors may constrain womens caring capabilities subsequent child nutrition uganda methods analyzed data 2006 2011 uganda demographic health surveys model associations maternal sociodemographic factors child feeding practices anthropometry multivariate logistic regression models results proportion children fed according recommended guidelines declined uganda 2006 2011 mothers lacked literacy skills less likely achieve recommended complementary feeding indicators however literacy associated breastfeeding practices mothers upper 60 wealth percentile likely meet minimum meal frequency diversity adequacy indicators mothers gave birth health facilities 2006 049 95 ci 026 091 p 005 upper 60 wealth percentile 2011 043 95 ci 021 069 less likely exclusively breastfeed 6 mo significant associations age first pregnancy maternal education infant young child feeding practices women formal education children lower stunting underweight probabilities time periods range 043074 women delivered childbirth facilities less likely child low weightforage lengthforage weightforlength z scores range 059082 marital status age first child birth accepting domestic violence freedom travel away home involvement household reproductive decisions associated child anthropometry either time period conclusions mothers low literacy skills deliver children home lack formal education particularly risk poor child feeding represent group may benefit enhanced interventions address particular vulnerabilities factors contribute improved maternal feeding capabilities may impair breastfeeding practices need better understood