Determinants of continued breastfeeding in children aged 12-23 months in three regions of Haiti / Determinantes de la continuación de la lactancia materna en la población infantil de entre 12 y 23 meses en tres regiones de Haití / Determinantes do aleitamento materno continuado em crianças de 12 a 23 meses de idade em três regiões do Haiti

ABSTRACT Objectives To identify the prevalence and determinants of continued breastfeeding in Haitian children aged 12-23 months. Methods Three cross-sectional surveys were conducted yearly during the summers of 2017 to 2019 as part of a 4-year (2016-2020) multisectoral maternal and infant health initiative in the regions of Les Cayes, Jérémie, and Anse d'Hainault in Haiti. A total of 455 children 12-23 months of age and their mothers participated in the study. A child was considered to be continuing breastfeeding if the mother reported giving breast milk in the 24-hour dietary recall. Unadjusted and adjusted prevalence ratios were estimated, and associations were assessed between continued breastfeeding and explanatory factors related to sociodemographic characteristics, household food security, maternal nutrition, and breastfeeding knowledge and practices. Results The prevalence of continued breastfeeding was 45.8%. Continued breastfeeding was significantly more prevalent among younger children, children who did not have a younger sibling, children whose mother was not pregnant, those living in the Jérémie region, children who had been exclusively breastfed for less than 1 month, and children whose mother knew the World Health Organization's recommendation for continued breastfeeding up to 2 years or beyond. Conclusions The study results highlight the need for geographically equitable access to tailored and adequate health services and education that support breastfeeding in a way that is compatible with the local context.

RESUMEN Objetivos. Determinar la prevalencia y los determinantes asociados a la continuación de la lactancia materna en la población infantil haitiana de entre 12 y 23 meses. Métodos. Durante los veranos del 2017 al 2019 se llevaron a cabo tres encuestas transversales anuales como parte de una iniciativa multisectorial de salud materna e infantil de 4 años (2016 a 2020) en las regiones de Les Cayes, Jérémie y Anse d'Hainault de Haití. En el estudio participaron 455 menores de edades comprendidas entre 12 y 23 meses y sus madres. Se consideró que un menor continuaba con la lactancia materna si, en la evaluación de la alimentación basada en el recuerdo de 24 horas, la madre declaraba la toma de leche materna. Se calcularon los cocientes de prevalencia ajustados y sin ajustar y se evaluó la asociación entre la continuación de la lactancia materna y posibles factores explicativos relacionados con las características sociodemográficas, la seguridad alimentaria de la familia, la nutrición materna y los conocimientos y prácticas en materia lactancia materna. Resultados. La prevalencia de la continuación de la lactancia materna fue del 45,8%. Esta prevalencia fue significativamente mayor cuando se trataba de lactantes de menor edad, cuando no había hermanos menores, cuando la madre no estaba embarazada, en los residentes en la región de Jérémie, cuando había habido una alimentación exclusiva con leche materna durante menos de un mes y cuando la madre conocía la recomendación de la Organización Mundial de la Salud de continuar con la lactancia materna hasta los dos años o más. Conclusiones. Los resultados del estudio ponen de relieve la necesidad de disponer de un acceso geográfico equitativo a unos servicios de salud y una educación que respalden la lactancia materna de una manera compatible con el contexto local.

RESUMO Objetivos Identificar a prevalência e os determinantes do aleitamento materno continuado em crianças haitianas de 12 a 23 meses de idade. Métodos Três pesquisas transversais foram realizadas anualmente nos verões de 2017 a 2019 como parte de uma iniciativa multissetorial de saúde materno-infantil de quatro anos (2016-2020) nas regiões de Les Cayes, Jérémie e Anse d'Hainault no Haiti. Um total de 455 crianças de 12 a 23 meses de idade e suas mães participaram do estudo. Considerou-se que a criança continuava sendo amamentada se a mãe relatasse ter dado leite materno no recordatório alimentar de 24 horas. Foram estimadas as taxas de prevalência não ajustadas e ajustadas e foram avaliadas as associações entre o aleitamento materno continuado e os fatores explicativos relacionados às características sociodemográficas, à segurança alimentar da família, à nutrição materna e aos conhecimentos e práticas de aleitamento materno. Resultados A prevalência de aleitamento materno continuado foi de 45,8%. O aleitamento materno continuado foi significativamente mais prevalente entre crianças mais novas, crianças que não tinham irmão mais novo, crianças cuja mãe não estava grávida, residentes da região de Jérémie, crianças que haviam sido exclusivamente amamentadas por menos de um mês e crianças cuja mãe conhecia a recomendação da Organização Mundial da Saúde de manter o aleitamento materno por 2 anos ou mais. Conclusões Os resultados do estudo destacam a necessidade de acesso geograficamente equitativo a educação e serviços de saúde adaptados e adequados para apoiar o aleitamento materno de forma compatível com o contexto local.

Determinants of exclusive breastfeeding among Haitian children under 6 months of age / Los determinantes de la lactancia materna exclusiva en menores de 6 meses de edad en Haití / Determinantes do aleitamento materno exclusivo entre crianças haitianas com menos de 6 meses de idade

ABSTRACT Objective. To identify the determinants of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) among children under 6 months of age from three regions in the South and Grand'Anse Departments of Haiti. Methods. Data were pooled from three cross-sectional surveys conducted yearly from 2017 to 2019 with the guardians of 638 children under 6 months of age. A non-quantitative 24-hour dietary recall was used to assess EBF the day before the survey. Using unadjusted and adjusted prevalence ratios, associations were assessed between EBF and several explanatory factors: infant's age and sex; maternal age, educational attainment, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), dietary diversity, number of children under 5 years of age, responsibility for the main or secondary source of income of the household, initiation of breastfeeding within one hour, knowledge of EBF duration; household severe food insecurity, socioeconomic status, dependency ratio, region, and residential zone (urban/rural). Results. Prevalence of EBF was 68% in the study sample. From the fully adjusted model, prevalence of EBF was statistically significantly higher among younger infants, mothers with larger MUAC, who met or exceeded Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W), who initiated breastfeeding within one hour, who were knowledgeable of the recommendations for EBF duration, and living in the Jérémie region. Conclusions. The main determinants of EBF identified in this study attest to the importance of breastfeeding mothers' access to nutritious food for the practice and maintenance of EBF and the need for geographically equitable access to health services and education that support breastfeeding.

RESUMEN Objetivo. Determinar cuáles son los determinantes de la lactancia materna exclusiva en menores de 6 meses de edad de tres regiones de los departamentos Sur y Grand'Anse de Haití. Métodos. Se agruparon los datos de tres encuestas transversales realizadas anualmente entre 2017 y 2019 a representantes de 638 bebés menores de 6 meses de edad. Se empleó una descripción no cuantitativa de los alimentos consumidos en las últimas 24 horas para evaluar la lactancia materna exclusiva el día anterior a la encuesta. Mediante cocientes de prevalencia ajustados y no ajustados, se evaluó la relación entre la lactancia materna exclusiva y varios factores explicativos: sobre el lactante: edad y sexo; sobre la madre: edad, nivel educativo, circunferencia del brazo media, diversidad alimentaria, número de hijos menores de 5 años y responsabilidad como fuente principal o secundaria de ingresos del hogar; inicio de la lactancia materna en un plazo de una hora después del nacimiento y conocimiento sobre la duración de la lactancia materna exclusiva; inseguridad alimentaria grave en el hogar, situación socioeconómica y tasa de dependencia; y región y zona residencial (urbana/rural). Resultados. La prevalencia de la lactancia materna exclusiva fue de 68 % en la muestra del estudio. A partir del modelo totalmente ajustado, la prevalencia de la lactancia materna exclusiva fue significativamente mayor desde un punto de vista estadístico en los bebés más pequeños, las madres con una mayor circunferencia del brazo media, la que cumplieron o excedieron la Diversidad Alimentaria Mínima para las Mujeres, las que iniciaron la lactancia materna dentro de una hora después del parto, las que conocían bien las recomendaciones sobre la duración de la lactancia materna exclusiva y las que vivían en la región de Jérémie. Conclusiones. Los principales determinantes de la lactancia materna exclusiva identificados en este estudio confirman la importancia de que las madres lactantes tengan acceso a alimentos nutritivos para la práctica y el mantenimiento de la lactancia materna exclusiva, así como la necesidad de disponer de un acceso geográfico equitativo a los servicios de salud y la educación que respaldan la lactancia materna.

RESUMO Objetivo. Identificar os determinantes do aleitamento materno exclusivo (AME) entre crianças com menos de 6 meses de idade de três regiões dos departamentos Sul e Grand'Anse do Haiti. Métodos. Agruparam-se dados de três pesquisas transversais realizadas anualmente, de 2017 a 2019, com pais e responsáveis de 638 crianças com menos de 6 meses de idade. Um recordatório alimentar não quantitativo de 24 horas foi utilizado para avaliar o AME no dia anterior à pesquisa. Usando taxas não ajustadas e ajustadas de prevalência, avaliou-se a associação entre AME e diversos fatores explicativos: idade e sexo do bebê; idade da mãe, seu nível de escolaridade, circunferência do braço (CB), diversidade da dieta, número de filhos com menos de 5 anos, responsabilidade pela fonte primária ou secundária de renda da família, início do aleitamento materno na primeira hora, conhecimento sobre a duração do AME; insegurança alimentar domiciliar grave, status socioeconômico, índice de dependência, região e zona residencial (urbana/rural). Resultados. A prevalência de AME na amostra do estudo foi de 68%. Com base no modelo totalmente ajustado, a prevalência do AME foi maior, de forma estatisticamente significante, entre bebês mais jovens, mães com maior CB, que atendiam ou excediam a Diversidade Alimentar Mínima para Mulheres (MDD-W), que começaram a amamentar na primeira hora, que estavam familiarizadas com as recomendações sobre a duração do AME e que moravam na região de Jérémie. Conclusões. Os principais determinantes de AME identificados neste estudo atestam a importância do acesso das lactantes a alimentos nutritivos para a prática e a continuidade do AME, e a necessidade de acesso geograficamente equitativo a educação e serviços de saúde que apoiem o aleitamento materno.

Community Level Fortification: Lessons from Projects in Malawi, Senegal and Tanzania.

Objectives: Rural smallholder farming communities are inadequately reached by national food fortification initiatives. World Vision projects in Malawi, Senegal and Tanzania explored the implementation and sustainability potential for community level fortification to increase households' access to micronutrients. Methods: Fortification projects were initiated within an integrated nutrition and health program. Micronutrient premix was added to staple grains during milling at medium scale mills (Malawi), village hammermills (Malawi, Tanzania) or at home after milling (Senegal, Tanzania). In Senegal two community bakeries for fortified bread were established. Partial cost-recovery systems were implemented in all projects but sustainability plans in Malawi and Senegal relied on a transition to independent business models to fund ongoing premix and quality control costs, with community oversight. Results: The projects introduced a novel method of increasing micronutrient intake which was widely accepted by local communities. More than 20,000 households accessed fortified grains. Common challenges included accessibility of premix supply and quality control services, and costrecovery. Operating in rural areas increased premix supply costs and limited quality control monitoring by national standards agencies. Sustainability of activities without external funding was limited. Transition to cost-recovery was overcome in Malawi through extensive community sensitization but resulted in a shift to food-to-food fortification in Tanzania. In Senegal, community committees sustained premix procurement through fortified bread sales. Conclusions: Community level fortification was well accepted and has potential to improve micronutrient intake of rural households unreached by commercially fortified products. Further formative work is needed to identify contextually feasible systems for premix supply, quality control and cost recovery.

Integrated Delivery of Nutrition-Specific and Nutrition-Sensitive Interventions in Ghana to Address Child Malnutrition.

Objectives: Interventions to improve household diet quality and food security under the Integrated Malnutrition, HIV/AIDS, and TB (IMHAT) project (2008-2012) were planned, implemented and monitored jointly with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and Ghana Health Services (GHS). The objective was to accelerate reductions in child malnutrition by integrating nutritionspecific and nutrition-sensitive interventions. Methods: Strong collaboration between GHS and MOFA was established through joint program design and quarterly follow up meetings. Extension agents from both GHS and MOFA were trained in Behaviour Change Communication and Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) counseling and jointly implemented household visits, distribution of vegetable seeds and small animals, food demonstrations using highly nutritious indigenous crops, and training on food preparation, food preservation and household budgeting. Lot Quality Assurance Sampling was used for baseline and final evaluation. Respondents (114) for each sampling group (Caregivers with children 0-6months, Caregivers of children 12-23 months, Caregivers with children 6-59 months, Respondents aged 15-49) were included. Sampling for anthropometry included 232 children aged 6-59 months. Results: There was an increase in consumption of animal source foods (43% to 58.8%) and vitamin A rich foods (0 to 56.1%) by children age 6-59 months. Exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months increased from 63.2% to 74.6%. Stunting was reduced to 24.6% from 45%, underweight to 16.8% from 22.6%, and wasting to 3% from 6.3%. Conclusions: Integrated delivery of interventions through strong collaboration between government ministries was successful in improving diet quality and growth in young children. Scale up of the approach is planned.