Knowledge, Practice and Factors affecting sunlight exposure of infants among mothers at governmental health facilities in Dessie town, Ethiopia, 2021. (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND Background: Human being needs sunlight for physical and mental well-being. Sunlight helps the body to produce vitamin D, an important vitamin for skeletal development, immune function, and blood cell formation. So, the community should be counseled to get sufficient sun exposure and vitamin D supplementation to uphold the serum 25 (OH) D levels. OBJECTIVE This study designed to assess the mothers’ knowledge, practice and factors affecting the sunlight exposure of their infants. METHODS Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted at governmental health facilities in Dessie town, 2021. A total of 398 mothers were interviewed using semi structured questionnaires. Data were entered into the EPI data and analyzed using SPSS. Binary and multivariate logistic regression analyses were also performed. In multivariate analysis, a significant association was considered at p-value of < 0.05. RESULTS Results: Response rate was 98.9%. About 76.6% and 58.9% of the mothers had poor knowledge and poor practice regarding sunlight exposure of infants respectively. Mothers’ occupation, mothers’ source of information and attitude had showed a significant association with mothers’ knowledge and mothers’ age, mothers occupation, and baby age had a significant association with their practice about sunlight exposure of infants. CONCLUSIONS Conclusion: Mothers’ knowledge and practice of sunlight exposure of infant are poor. Hence measures should be taken to increase mothers’ awareness of sunlight exposure of infants.