Awareness, attitude and practice of vitamin A supplementation among mothers of under-five children in a sub-urban community in Nigeria

Abstract

Objective: Vitamin A deficiency is a major nutritional concern in poor societies, especially in lower income countries like Nigeria. Africa and South East Asia bear the highest burden of pre-school age children and pregnant women with biochemical vitamin A deficiency and night blindness. The aim of this study is to determine the level of awareness, attitude and practices of vitamin A supplementation in mothers of under-five children in a sub-urban community in Nigeria.
Methods: This was a community based descriptive cross sectional study carried out among mothers of under-five children in Oluku, a sub-urban community in Ovia North East Local government area of Edo State, Nigeria. A structured interviewer administered questionnaire was the tool for data collection. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20.
Results: One hundred and sixty mothers with a mean age of 30.9 ± 9.2 years were studied. Majority had either secondary 96 (60.0%) or tertiary 40 (25.0%) level of education. Most 143 (89.4%) were aware of vitamin A supplementation with health care workers being the major source of information. Most 129 (90.2%) knew that vitamin A supplementation is
recommended for children aged 1 – 5 years. Majority, 125 (78.1%) demonstrated a positive attitude towards vitamin A supplementation. The under-five children of majority (84.4%) of the respondents’ children had received vitamin A supplementation and the hospital (88.9%) was the predominant place of reception. A higher proportion, 57 (42.2%) of the
children had received two doses of vitamin A supplementation. Only 42 (26.3%) mothers received vitamin supplementation postpartum.
Conclusion: This study showed a high awareness of vitamin A  supplementation among the mothers. The practice of vitamin A supplementation in the under-five children was high but maternal postpartum vitamin A supplementation was low. We recommend that more emphasis should be placed on maternal post partum vitamin A  supplementation.

Keywords: Vitamin A supplementation, postpartum mothers, under-five children, Nigeria.