Impact of Nutritional Health Education on Knowledge and Practices of Mothers of Anemic Children in El Othmanyia Village – Egypt

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In Egypt, more than one in four children suffers from some degree of anemia.
 AIM: This study was carried out to assess and improve the nutritional knowledge and risky nutritional habits of the mothers of anemic children aged 2–12 years old in El Othmanyia village.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: An interventional study was conducted among anemic children aged 2–12 years old and their mothers in El Othmanyia village, Egypt. The study passed through three stages over 1 and ½ years; pre-interventional assessment of awareness (n = 350), educational interventions targeting anemic children and their mothers, and post-interventional evaluation of change in awareness and practice.
 RESULTS: The mean knowledge % score of mothers increased significantly after the intervention (82.2 ± 14.2 vs. 6.3 ± 5.8, respectively). Furthermore, the mean hemoglobin of the studied children increased significantly after the intervention (11.1 ± 0.7 vs. 10.5 ± 0.7). The percent of children with anemia decreased significantly from 100% to 40.3% after the intervention (p < 0.001).
 CONCLUSION: The knowledge and practices of mothers are moving in a desirable direction after the health education intervention. Hence, nutrition education is an appropriate, effective, and sustainable approach to combat iron deficiency anemia. Recommendations: A multiple interventional strategies between different ministries to set policies and guidelines that support the healthy nutritional behavior among children are recommended.

Assessing the Effective Communication Channels to Reduce Child and Adolescent Marriage in Rural Communities of Egypt

“…For husbands, the odds were nearly one and half for all. This was in accordance with many Egyptian studies which have achieved their goals for improving behaviors for many health-related diseases and issues with the aid of the health promotors, community leaders or health care workers; for example, reduction of maternal mortality [17], [18], [53], improving environmental health [54], [55], alleviating children anemia [56], counteracting barriers against diabetes [57], and accelerating HCV elimination [59], [60], [61]. These studies are mainly community-based studies in rural communities respecting the culture and believe within their communities.…”

Determinants Influencing Awareness and Healthy Practices among a Sample of Insulin-dependent Diabetic Egyptian Patients: A Rural Community-based Study

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Egyptian patients’/guardians’ experiences and perception about clinical informed consent and its purpose: Cross sectional study

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