Knowledge, attitudes and practices of caregivers of children aged between 0-6- months, residing in the urban informal settlement of Eatonside in the Vaal Triangle
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Date
2009-03
Authors
Mangwane, Queen Elizabeth
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Caring for children is a challenge that requires a number of
resources including knowledge, a reasonable workload, time and social support
of the caregiver. Maternal education is an important asset in providing good care
giving practices: child feeding practices and the use of preventative health
services depend on knowledge more than on household resources.
Poverty has been linked with poor childcare and child malnutrition; South African
children especially those who are living in informal settlements, are vulnerable to
poverty. Appropriate practices by caregivers have enabled them to raise well~
nourished children in a community where there is poverty. This implies that
caregiver's attitudes, beliefs and practices in relation to childcare, and proper
utilisation of limited resources can make a major difference in their children's
health, growth and development. In order to plan appropriate interventions in the
Eatonside informal settlement, an improvement in the knowledge of, attitude
toward and practice of childcare and care giv1ing is required.
OBJECTIVES: To examine the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of
caregivers regarding childcare and care giving behaviours with children aged 0-
60 months and to assess existing types of care arrangements in the study area.
STUDY DESIGN: An exploratory study was conducted among 145 randomly
selected caregivers of children aged 0-60 months, living in the informal
settlement of Eatonside. Knowledge and practices were determined by focus
group discussions (FGD); an attitude scale questionnaire was used to determine
attitude; and a hygiene and feeding observation checklist was used to determine
the hygiene and feeding practices.
Description
M. Tech. (Food Service Management, Dept. of Hospitality and tourism, Faculty of Human Sciences)|, Vaal University of Technology,
Keywords
Child care, Child feeding, Maternal education, Child health