Role of ASHA in enhancing Infant feeding practices among rural mothers of Uttar Pradesh

Gurpreet Kaur; Bhawana Pant; Anuradha Davey; Kaynat Nasser

Volume : IX, Issue : VI, June - 2020

Role of ASHA in enhancing Infant feeding practices among rural mothers of Uttar Pradesh

Gurpreet Kaur, Bhawana Pant, Anuradha Davey, Kaynat Nasser

Abstract :

Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) have been recruited under NRHM as key resource personnel for awareness creation and demand generation for health. ASHAs can play a pivotal role in the promotion of east–feeding. Objective– to find out the role of ASHAs on Infant feeding practice by mother i.e. on initiation of eastfeeding, exclusive eastfeeding and complementary feeding. Material and methods– It is a Community based Cross–sectional study done in Parikshit–garh block of Meerut. 300 mothers who had a child 6 month to 1 year were included in the study. Results– Only 53% i.e. 130 mothers who delivered at hospital were told about the initiation of eastfeeding immediately after delivery. ASHA visited 68% of the studied population within 42 days following delivery and out of them 36% were visited for 6 or more than 6 times as recommended and half of them i.e. 53% were advised exclusive eastfeeding for their newborn upto 6 months age. In this study 31% of mother received information regarding complementary from the ASHA. Feeding practices by mothers had significant association with number of ASHA visits. Conclusion– This study conducted that emphasize should be given on monitoring of ASHA visits and their capacity building to disseminate correct knowledge so as they can work as a behavior change agent at the community level.