Al-Gashanin Musalli Ali, Ghazwani Eisa Yazeed
Hai Al Dhubbat PHCC, The General Directorate of Health Affairs, Najran, Saudi Arabia.
Family and Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Najran University, Najran, Saudi Arabia.
J Nutr Metab. 2022 Mar 2;2022:6073878. doi: 10.1155/2022/6073878. eCollection 2022.
Weaning is a complex process of a gradual introduction of complementary foods to the infant's diet. It is recommended that solid food is introduced between 6 and 12 months of age. Weaning is difficult and potentially dangerous time for infants' growth and mother's education is an established determinant of its success. Little is known about weaning attitudes or practice among mothers in Najran Region of Saudi Arabia.
The study is a cross-sectional questionnaire-based observational investigation using random sampling scheme. We utilized ordinal logistic regression modelling to evaluate the relationship between demographic variables and knowledge level among mothers.
The total number included was = 385 mothers who agreed to take part in the study. Good satisfactory knowledge rate was = 135, 35.1%. Knowledge was mostly sought from other mothers ( = 102, 26.5%), followed by reliance on their own experience ( = 82, 21.3%). Seeking doctors' advice was associated with better knowledge levels. Worse adjusted knowledge scores were associated with bottle feeding (OR = 0.5383, =0.0137), using cerelac preparations (OR = 0.0316, =0.0092), development of weaning symptoms (OR = 0.5869, =0.0260), seeking other mothers' advice (OR = 0.4750, =0.0226), and feeding babies under 4 times daily (OR = 0.2742, =0.0008). Mother education did not have significant impact on knowledge scores. . We confirmed, in this work, that knowledge levels were alarmingly unsatisfactory about weaning among our participants. Women were likely following local customs in terms of their choice of weaning methods even among the well-educated. The association between seeking doctors' advice and better knowledge should be utilized in future educational interventions. Underfeeding babies of below 4 times daily was correlated substantially with poorer knowledge score. This could be viewed as reverse causality, as clearly more knowledgeable mothers are expected to stick to optimum feeding frequency. . Communication channels between physicians and mothers need to be opened and widened through focused educational programmes. Poor knowledge is clearly associated with infant underfeeding and difficulties in recognizing weaning symptoms. Such points need to be emphasized in design of health education packages to nursing mothers. Research on knowledge about weaning should focus on its association with traditional weaning methods and bottle feeding.
断奶是一个向婴儿饮食中逐渐引入辅食的复杂过程。建议在婴儿6至12个月大时开始添加固体食物。断奶对婴儿成长来说是困难且具有潜在危险的时期，母亲的教育程度是断奶成功与否的既定决定因素。关于沙特阿拉伯奈季兰地区母亲们的断奶态度或做法，我们了解甚少。
本研究是一项基于问卷调查的横断面观察性调查，采用随机抽样方案。我们利用有序逻辑回归模型来评估母亲们的人口统计学变量与知识水平之间的关系。
纳入研究的母亲总数为385名，她们均同意参与本研究。知识水平良好且令人满意的母亲有135名，占35.1%。获取知识的途径主要是向其他母亲请教（102名，占26.5%），其次是依靠自身经验（82名，占21.3%）。向医生咨询与更高的知识水平相关。经调整后，较差的知识得分与奶瓶喂养（比值比[OR]=0.5383，P=0.0137）、使用婴儿米粉制品（OR=0.0316，P=0.0092）、出现断奶症状（OR=0.5869，P=0.0260）、向其他母亲请教（OR=0.4750，P=0.0226）以及每天喂养婴儿次数少于4次（OR=0.2742，P=0.0008）有关。母亲的教育程度对知识得分没有显著影响。在本研究中，我们证实，参与者对断奶的知识水平令人担忧地不尽人意。即使是受过良好教育的女性，在断奶方法的选择上也可能遵循当地习俗。在未来的教育干预中，应利用向医生咨询与更高知识水平之间的关联。每天喂养婴儿次数少于4次与较差的知识得分密切相关。这可被视为反向因果关系，因为显然知识更丰富的母亲有望坚持最佳喂养频率。需要通过有针对性的教育项目来开辟并拓宽医生与母亲之间的沟通渠道。知识匮乏显然与婴儿喂养不足以及难以识别断奶症状有关。在为哺乳期母亲设计健康教育套餐时，需要强调这些要点。关于断奶知识的研究应侧重于其与传统断奶方法及奶瓶喂养之间的关联。
