Awareness of Maternal and Child Health Centers Nurses regarding Stunting among Children under Five Years

Document Type : Scientific peer reviewed journal

Authors

1 M.Sc. student of Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Benha University, Egypt

2 Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Benha University, Egypt

Abstract

 Background: Stunting is a condition of failure to thrive in children under five due to chronic
malnutrition and psychosocial stimulation and exposure to repeated infections, especially in the first
1000 days of birth.
The aim of this study was assess awareness of maternal and child health centers
nurses regarding stunting among children under five years.
Research design: A descriptive
research design was utilized in this study.
Setting: The study was conducted at Qualyobia
Governorate which includes 11 health administrations, 25% of them were selected randomly, it
included 3 administrations namely; Benha Administration, Kafr Shokr administration and Toukh
administration. One MCH center was taken randomly from each administration, it included the
general medical MCH center at Benha, Kafr Shukr MCH center and Alamar MCH center.
Sample:
Convenient sample of 118 nurses who were working in previously mentioned settings.
Tools: Two
tools were used,
I): Structured interviewing questionnaire was used, it consisted of two parts : A)
Socio-demographic characteristics of nurses. B): Knowledge of nurses regarding stunting among
children under five years.
II): Observational check list to assess nurses' practices regarding stunting.
Results: 16.1% of the studied nurses had good total knowledge level, 51.1% had average total
knowledge level regarding stunting. 82.2% of the studied nurses had satisfactory total practices
level regarding stunting.
Conclusion: There were highly statistically significant relations between
studied nurses’ total knowledge level and age, level of education, years of experience, residence and
monthly income. Also, there were highly statistically significant relations between studied nurses'
total practices level and their age. There was a highly statistically significant relation between
studied nurses total knowledge level and total practices level.
Recommendations: Health education
program to improve nurses' knowledge and practices regarding stunting among children under five
years.
 

Keywords

Main Subjects