scholarly journals What Influences Urban Mothers’ Decisions on What to Feed Their Children Aged Under Five—The Case of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Nutrients ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanna Berhane ◽  
Eva-Charlotte Ekström ◽  
Magnus Jirström ◽  
Yemane Berhane ◽  
Christopher Turner ◽  
...  

Mothers carry the prime responsibility for childcare and feeding in low-income countries. Understanding their experiences in providing food for their children is paramount to informing efforts to improve the nutritional status of children. Such information is lacking in Sub-Saharan Africa. To understand what influences urban mothers’ food acquisition and their motivations for selecting food for their children, 36 in-depth interviews were carried out with mothers having children under five years of age. Interviews were conducted in the local language, audio-recorded, transcribed, and translated into English. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis which led to the identification of four major themes: mothers give-in to a child-driven diet; quick-fix versus the privilege of planning; keen awareness on food safety, nutrition, and diet diversity; and social, familial, and cultural influences. The findings indicate that child feeding practices are influenced by interlinked social and environmental factors. Hence, nutrition education campaigns should focus on targeting not only families but also their children. Attention should also be given to food safety regulations, as well as to the much-needed support of mothers who are struggling to ensure their children’s survival in low-income countries.

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Menon ◽  
José L. Peñalvo

Background: In many developing countries, nutritional and epidemiological transitions are contributing to continuous undernutrition and escalating overnutrition, resulting in coexisting forms of malnutrition often referred as the “double burden of malnutrition” (DBM). This complex phenomenon constitutes an unprecedented challenge to global public health and has been prioritized by international health organizations, prompting governments to swift action. Specifically, five years ago the World Health Organization (WHO) proposed a roadmap to tackle the DBM though so-called “double-duty actions”. The objective of this review was to synthesize the literature on interventions which address the DBM. Methods: We developed a scoping review to identify interventions addressing the DBM. We searched PUBMED for papers reporting interventions until December 2019. Articles examining interventions, government policies, or tools at the individual, household, or community level to address the DBM were included. Results: Seven articles met the inclusion criteria. Three were from sub-Saharan Africa, one was from Southeast Asia, and one was from Central America. Two were modelling studies, with one covering 24 low-income countries and the other focusing on Ghana. Conclusion: Notwithstanding the pressing issue of the DBM, there is a paucity of studies examining double-duty actions despite the attention that it has garnered within the global nutrition community. Whilst nutrient deficiencies may be curbed by poverty reduction measures, for obesity prevention nutrition, education and promotion of physical activity, along with the encouragement of local food production, may be instrumental.


Having broadly stabilized inflation over the past two decades, many policymakers in sub-Saharan Africa are now asking more of their monetary policy frameworks. They are looking to avoid policy misalignments and respond appropriately to both domestic and external shocks, including swings in fiscal policy and spikes in food and export prices. In many cases they are finding current regimes—often characterized as ‘money targeting’—lacking, with opaque and sometimes inconsistent objectives, inadequate transmission of policy to the economy, and difficulties in responding to supply shocks. At the same time, little existing research on monetary policy is targeted to low-income countries. What do we know about the empirics of monetary transmission in low-income countries? (How) Does monetary policy work in countries characterized by a huge share of food in consumption, underdeveloped financial markets, and opaque policy regimes? (How) Can we use methods largely derived in advanced countries to answer these questions? And (how) can we use the results to guide policymakers? This book draws on years of research and practice at the IMF and in central banks from the region to shed empirical and theoretical light on these questions and to provide practical tools and policy guidance. A key feature of the book is the application of dynamic general equilibrium models, suitably adapted to reflect key features of low-income countries, for the analysis of monetary policy in sub-Saharan African countries.


Author(s):  
Lawrence Omo-Aghoja ◽  
Emuesiri Goodies Moke ◽  
Kenneth Kelechi Anachuna ◽  
Adrian Itivere Omogbiya ◽  
Emuesiri Kohworho Umukoro ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a severe acute respiratory infection which has afflicted virtually almost all nations of the earth. It is highly transmissible and represents one of the most serious pandemics in recent times, with the capacity to overwhelm any healthcare system and cause morbidity and fatality. Main content The diagnosis of this disease is daunting and challenging as it is dependent on emerging clinical symptomatology that continues to increase and change very rapidly. The definitive test is the very expensive and scarce polymerase chain reaction (PCR) viral identification technique. The management has remained largely supportive and empirical, as there are no officially approved therapeutic agents, vaccines or antiviral medications for the management of the disease. Severe cases often require intensive care facilities and personnel. Yet there is paucity of facilities including the personnel required for diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It is against this backdrop that a review of key published reports on the pandemic in SSA and globally is made, as understanding the natural history of a disease and the documented responses to diagnosis and management is usually a key public health strategy for designing and improving as appropriate, relevant interventions. Lead findings were that responses by most nations of SSA were adhoc, paucity of public health awareness strategies and absence of legislations that would help enforce preventive measures, as well as limited facilities (including personal protective equipment) and institutional capacities to deliver needed interventions. Conclusion COVID-19 is real and has overwhelmed global health care system especially low-income countries of the sub-Sahara such as Nigeria. Suggestions for improvement of healthcare policies and programs to contain the current pandemic and to respond more optimally in case of future pandemics are made herein.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 216495612110178
Author(s):  
Kidus Fitsum ◽  
Gudina Egata ◽  
Melake Demena ◽  
Berhe Gebremichael

Background Although overweight/obesity is becoming a public health issue in low income countries, there is a paucity of evidence concerning overweight/obesity in Ethiopia. The aim of the study was to assess the magnitude of overweight/obesity and associated factors among second cycle primary school children in Kirkos Sub-City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods A school based cross-sectional study was conducted among 482 children from May to June, 2019. Data were collected using a questionnaire and checklist. Data were entered using EpiData version 3.1 and exported into SPSS version 22.0. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were done to identify factors associated with overweight/obesity. Level of statistical significance was declared at p ≤ 0.05. Results The overall magnitude of overweight/obesity was 21.2%. The magnitude of overweight was 13.7% while obesity was 7.5%. Vehicle availability, being from private school, not having friend(s), preferring sweet foods, eating breakfast irregularly, watching movies/Television while eating and physical inactivity were the factors significantly associated with overweight/obesity among second cycle primary school children. Conclusions The magnitude of overweight/obesity was high in the study area. Therefore, health and education sectors should promote healthy lifestyle to curb child overweight/obesity.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Atif Awad

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the long-run impact of selected foreign capital inflows, including aid, remittances, foreign direct investment (FDI), trade and debt, on the economic growth of 21 low-income countries in the Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) region, during the period 1990–2018. Design/methodology/approach To obtain this objective and for robust analysis, a parametric approach, which was dynamic ordinary least squares, and a non-parametric technique, which was fully modified ordinary least squares, were used. Findings The results of both models confirmed that, in the long run, trade and aid affected the growth rate of the per capita income in these countries in a positive way. However, external debt seemed to have an adverse influence on such growth. Originality/value First, this is the initial study that has addressed this matter across a homogenous group of countries in the SSA region. Second, while most of the previous studies regarding capital inflows into the SSA region have focused on the impact of only one or two aspects of such foreign capital inflows on growth, the present study, instead, examined the impact of five types of foreign capital inflows (aid, remittances, FDI, trade and debt).


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelton Kanyanda ◽  
Yannick Markhof ◽  
Philip Wollburg ◽  
Alberto Zezza

Introduction Recent debates surrounding the lagging covid-19 vaccination campaigns in low-income countries center around vaccine supply and financing. Yet, relatively little is known about attitudes towards covid-19 vaccines in these countries and in Africa in particular. In this paper, we provide cross-country comparable estimates of the willingness to accept a covid-19 vaccine in six Sub-Saharan African countries. Methods We use data from six national high-frequency phone surveys from countries representing 38% of the Sub-Saharan African population (Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, and Uganda). Samples are drawn from large, nationally representative sampling frames providing a rich set of demographic and socio-economic characteristics by which we disaggregate our analysis. Using a set of re-calibrated survey weights, our analysis adjusts for the selection biases common in remote surveys. Results Acceptance rates in the six Sub-Saharan African countries studied are generally high, with at least four in five people willing to be vaccinated in all but one country. Vaccine acceptance ranges from nearly universal in Ethiopia (97.9%, 97.2% to 98.6%) to below what would likely be required for herd immunity in Mali (64.5%, 61.3% to 67.8%). We find little evidence for systematic differences in vaccine hesitancy by sex or age but some clusters of hesitancy in urban areas, among the better educated, and in richer households. Safety concerns about the vaccine in general and its side effects emerge as the primary reservations toward a covid-19 vaccine across countries. Conclusions Our findings suggest that limited supply, not inadequate demand, likely presents the key bottleneck to reaching high covid-19 vaccine coverage in Sub-Saharan Africa. To turn intent into effective demand, targeted communication campaigns bolstering confidence in the safety of approved vaccines and reducing concerns about side effects will be crucial to safeguard the swift progression of vaccine rollout in one of the world's poorest regions.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asmamaw Atnafu ◽  
Malede Mequanent Sisay ◽  
Getu Debalkie Demissie ◽  
Zemenu Tadesse Tessema

Abstract Background: Childhood diarrheal illness is the second leading cause of child mortality in Sub Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia. Studies hypothesized that there are regional variations. Thus, the study aimed to examine the spatial variations and to identify the determinants of childhood diarrhea in Ethiopia. Methods: Data from the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) was analyzed. This nationwide survey involved 10,337 children below 5 years old. The survey was carried out using a two-stage stratified sampling design. Moran’s I and LISA were used to detect the spatial clustering of diarrhea cases and to test for clustering in the data. Descriptive statistics followed by a mixed-effect logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with the prevalence of diarrhea. Results: Overall, 11.87% of children were experienced childhood diarrheal illness. The study reveals high-risk areas were Southern and central Ethiopia, while eastern and west were indicated as low-risk regions. Younger children were more likely to suffer from childhood diarrhea than their older counterparts: age 6 to 12, 12 to 23, and 24 to 35 months were (AOR = 2.66, (95% CI 2.01, 3.52)), (AOR = 2.45, (95% CI 1.89, 3.17)), and (AOR = 1.53, (95% CI 1.17, 2.01)), respectively. Children living in Tigray (AOR= 1.69 (95% CI, 1.01, 2.83)), Amhara (AOR = 1.80, (95% CI, 1.06, 3.06), SNNPR (AOR = 2.04, 95% CI 1.22, 3.42), and Gambela (AOR = 2.05, (95% CI 1.22, 3.42)), faced greater risk than Addis Ababa city. The odds of getting diarrhea is decreased by 24% among households having ≥3 under-five children as compared to households having only one under-five child (AOR = 0.76 (95% CI: 0.61, 0.94)). The odds of children getting diarrheal illness among working mothers increase by 19% as compared to not working (AOR = 1.19 (95% CI 1.03, 1.38)). Conclusions: childhood diarrheal illness is highly prevalent among under-five children, particularly in SNNP, Gambella, Oromia, and Benishangul Gumuz regions. Capacity building programs with best experience sharing and better household environment may prove effective in reducing the incidence of childhood diarrhea in Ethiopia. Keywords: Spatial statistics, Ethiopia, under-five children, Diarrhea, Generalized Mixed Model


2016 ◽  
pp. 1208-1227
Author(s):  
Monica Gray

Diarrhea is the second leading cause of death and is the major cause of malnutrition in children under age 5 worldwide. More than 50 percent of the cases occur in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. Open defecation, substandard fecal disposal systems, and contaminated water supplies are the typical causes of diarrheal diseases. This public health crisis in low income countries mirrors the experiences of today's industrialized nations two centuries ago. The lessons learned from their sanitary evolution can be instructive in charting a sustainable path towards saving the lives of almost 2 million children annually. In this chapter a case study of Cuba's sanitary reformation is also presented to showcase successes, similar to those of developed countries, within a developing country and economically challenging context.


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