ABSTRACT
Background: Breastfeeding is the best preventive intervention and has potential impact on child mortality. Breast-milk is safest, least allergic and has nutritional, immunological, behavioural and economic benefits. It also provides desirable mother baby bonding. Early human milk promotes gut maturation and immune activation in infants. Despite of the demonstrated benefit of breastfeeding, the duration and prevalence are still low in first six months of life. The objectives of the study were to estimate the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding practices among study population; to assess awareness regarding colostrum; to assess the socio demographic profile among mothers of 0-2 years children.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in the urban field practice area of tertiary health care center, Hyderabad. 100 mothers having children between 0-2 years age group were included by using simple random technique. Predesigned questionnaire was used to collect data.Results: Mean age group (yrs) of the mothers was 25.6±3.81, literate mothers are 81%, illiterates are 19% and employed mothers were 68%. Awareness regarding exclusive breastfeeding was more among literates than illiterates (p<0.05). Literacy status had no association regarding knowledge on colostrum among study subject. Pre lacteal feeds were practiced among 32% of mothers before initiation of breast feeding. The practice of prelacteal feeds were more in primi than multi para mothers (p<0.05). Practice of burping after the breastfeeding were followed by 71%. Mothers practicing correct positioning during breastfeeding were 63%.Conclusions: Among study subject 75% of them were given colostrum. Exclusive breastfeeding upto 0-6 months was practiced by 64% of mothers.
ABSTRACT
Background: According to WHO, responsiveness is an important goal of the health system, in addition to the two predominant goals of improving health and fairness of financing. Responsiveness includes non-medical aspects of health care. As the progress to universal health coverage is gaining pace, the present study has attempted to study the domains of responsiveness in the government and private health services and health care providers.Methods: A community based cross-sectional study for a period of 3 months in the households of the urban field practising area. Sampling technique was simple random sampling. Assuming the prevalence of 50% and allowable error of 5%, 400 households were surveyed. KISH table method was used at household level. Study tool was World Health Survey responsiveness module questionnaire for the eight responsiveness domains-prompt attention, dignity, communication, autonomy, confidentiality, choice, quality of basic facilities and social support (for inpatients).Results: The mean age (yrs) of the study subjects is 46.078±13.998. 68.25% (273) were males.31.75% (127) were females. 46.25% (185) were using government services and 53.75% (215) were using private services. The mean waiting time (min) in the public health facilities was 135.2±111.2 which was more than private facilities, 62.4±40.8.Conclusions: All the responsiveness domains (except confidentiality) were found to be positively associated (p<0.05) with the government health services. Proportion of people rating the responsiveness domains from most important to the least important showed prompt attention (52%) and dignity (30%) as the most important domains.