Background Growth monitoring and promotion (GMP) is one of the health care priorities to assess and follow the growth pattern of children under 2 years old. Appropriate GMP services enable health care workers to control growth faltering early and child mortality. However, there is limited information showing the practice and associated factors of GMP service among health care workers in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the practice and identify associated factors of GMP service among health care workers at public health facilities of the South Wollo Zone, northeast Ethiopia. Methods A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 397 randomly selected health care workers in the South Wollo Zone, northeast Ethiopia, from May 25 to July 7, 2020. A pretested self-administered questionnaire and in-depth interview were used to collect the quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. Quantitative data were entered using Epi data Version 3.1 and exported to statistical software for social sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 software for further analysis. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with GMP practice. Statistical tests at a P value < 0.05 with a 95% confidence interval were taken as a cutoff point to determine the statistical significance. Qualitative data were analyzed by using thematic analysis. Results In this study, the proportion of GMP practice among health care workers was 58.4% (95% CI: 54.0–63.0). Being a holder of first degree (AOR = 2.25; 95% CI: 1.01, 5.05), being a holder of a diploma (AOR = 3.52; 95% CI: 2.04, 6.09), work experience with GMP (AOR = 3.13; 95% CI: 1.58, 6.20), receiving GMP training (AOR = 4.83; 95% CI: 2.89, 8.06), availability of GMP equipment (AOR = 2.75; 95% CI: 1.64, 4.58) and having a positive attitude toward GMP (AOR = 3.70; 95% CI: 2.23, 6.17) were factors significantly associated with GMP practice. Conclusions and recommendations The proportion of GMP practice among health care workers was still low. Educational level, work experience with GMP, GMP training, GMP equipment and attitude toward GMP were positively associated with GMP practice. Availability of GMP equipment brings positive attitudes toward GMP, and GMP training for health care workers with less experience should be strengthened to improve GMP practice.

Background Even though Growth Monitoring and Promotion (GMP) has been practicing in many countries including Ethiopia for well children less than two years of age to prevent malnutrition, there is still a chance to acquire malnutrition in Ethiopia. However, there is no study that documented the proportion of GMP practice and associated factors in the study area. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess GMP practice and identify associated factors among health care workers. Methods Institution based cross- sectional study design was employed on 397 randomly selected health care workers in South Wollo Zone, northeast Ethiopia from May 25 to July 7, 2020. Pre-tested self-administered questionnaire and in-depth interview were used to collect data. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 software. Thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative part. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regressions were used to identify associated factors with GMP practice. Statistical tests at P-value < 0.05 with 95% confidence interval were taken for statistical significance. Results The proportion of GMP practice among health care workers was 58.4% with (95% CI: 54.0–63.0). First degree (AOR = 2.25; 95% CI: 1.005, 5.05), diploma (AOR = 3.52; 95% CI: 2.04, 6.09), work experience on GMP (AOR = 3.13; 95% CI: 1.58, 6.20), GMP training (AOR = 4.83; 95% CI: 2.89, 8.06), GMP equipment (AOR = 2.75; 95% CI: 1.64, 4.58) and attitude towards GMP (AOR = 3.70; 95% CI: 2.228, 6.174) were factors significantly associated with GMP practice. Conclusions The proportion of GMP practice among health care workers was 58.4%. Educational level, work experience on GMP, GMP training, GMP equipment and attitude towards GMP were positively associated with GMP practice. Therefore, Ministry of Health should strengthen availability of GMP equipment, GMP training, and bring positive attitude towards GMP to improve GMP practice with special focus on health care workers with lower experience on GMP service.