Bolka Amelo, Assaye Mahlet, Phliphos Assefa
School of Public Health Yirgalem Hospital Medical College Yirgalem Ethiopia.
Food Sci Nutr. 2025 Jul 1;13(7):e70557. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.70557. eCollection 2025 Jul.
Suboptimal child feeding practices significantly contribute to malnutrition. While maternal involvement in feeding children aged 6-23 months is well-documented, evidence on male partner engagement remains limited. This study aimed to assess male partner involvement in child feeding and identify associated factors in Hawassa City, Sidama Region. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February 1-30, 2024, among 422 male partners with children aged 6-23 months. Participants were selected using systematic sampling. Data were collected via structured, pretested, interviewer-administered questionnaires. Data analysis was done using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) version 26. Associated factors of male involvement in child feeding were identified using a logistic regression model, and the outputs were presented using adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). The prevalence of good male partner involvement was 68.7% (95% CI: 64.7-72.7). Factors significantly associated with involvement included: age ≤ 25 years (AOR = 2.32, 95% CI: 1.07-5.31), age 26-35 years (AOR = 2.38, 95% CI: 1.39-4.09), no formal education (AOR = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.14-0.59), child age 6-11 months (AOR = 1.94, 95% CI: 1.13-3.32), good knowledge (AOR = 2.14, 95% CI: 1.26-3.64), positive attitude (AOR = 2.66, 95% CI: 1.55-4.56), and belief in community gender-specific role norms (AOR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.24-0.69). Male partner involvement in child feeding was relatively high in Hawassa City. Younger age, lack of formal education, child age, good knowledge, positive attitudes, and gender norms were significant factors. Enhancing knowledge, attitudes, and addressing gender norms could further improve male engagement in child feeding.
不恰当的儿童喂养方式是导致营养不良的重要因素。虽然母亲参与6至23个月大儿童的喂养已有充分记录，但关于男性伴侣参与情况的证据仍然有限。本研究旨在评估锡达马地区哈瓦萨市男性伴侣在儿童喂养中的参与情况，并确定相关因素。2024年2月1日至3月30日，对422名有6至23个月大孩子的男性伴侣进行了一项基于社区的横断面研究。采用系统抽样法选取参与者。通过结构化、经过预测试、由访谈员实施的问卷收集数据。使用SPSS（社会科学统计软件包）26版进行数据分析。使用逻辑回归模型确定男性参与儿童喂养的相关因素，并使用调整后的优势比（AOR）和95%置信区间（CI）呈现结果。男性伴侣良好参与率为68.7%（95%CI：64.7 - 72.7）。与参与情况显著相关的因素包括：年龄≤25岁（AOR = 2.32，95%CI：1.07 - 5.31）、年龄26 - 35岁（AOR = 2.38，95%CI：1.39 - 4.09）、未接受正规教育（AOR = 0.28，95%CI：0.14 - 0.59）、孩子年龄6 - 11个月（AOR = 1.94，95%CI：1.13 - 3.32）、知识水平良好（AOR = 2.14，95%CI：1.26 - 3.64）、态度积极（AOR = 2.66，95%CI：1.55 - 4.56）以及对社区性别特定角色规范的认同（AOR = 0.41，95%CI：0.24 - 0.69）。在哈瓦萨市，男性伴侣参与儿童喂养的比例相对较高。年龄较小、未接受正规教育、孩子年龄、知识水平良好、态度积极以及性别规范是显著因素。加强知识和态度教育以及解决性别规范问题可以进一步提高男性在儿童喂养中的参与度。
