Infant Bottle-Feeding Practice, Agaro Town, Southwest Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: The prevalence and duration of breast-feeding is declining and being replaced by formula milk. The morbidity and mortality of bottle fed infants is much greater than breast fed infants. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of bottle-feeding and to assess factors that contribute to the practice of bottle-feeding. METHODS: A community based cross-sectional survey on factors contributing to bottle-feeding practice in Agaro town was conducted between February 5 and 9, 2001. A total of 224 mothers who had children between the ages of 0 and 24 months were included in the study. Statistical test of significance between bottle-feeding practice and different variables have been made. RESULTS: Most children were started on complementary diet before the age of 4 months. Only few mothers who had a chance to give birth in health institutions were advised on advantages of breast-feeding. The overall prevalence of bottle-feeding was 79 (35.0%). The practice of bottle-feeding was found to be higher among mothers with educational background above senior high school 8(66.7%), Government employees 11(63.1%) and those with relatively higher monthly family income 16(76.2%). The main reasons bottle-feeding practice was insufficient breast milk 56(70.9%) and mothers' workload. Among mothers who had a chance to give birth in a health institution, few of them (23.7%) had got an advice about the initiation of breast-feeding and the potential hazards of bottle-feeding. CONCLUSION: The study indicated that the practice of bottle-feeding was high among mothers who are relatively high in their educational level and among those who were government employees. Health education on importance of exclusive breast-feeding for the first 4 months needs to be emphasized.Ethiop J Health Sci. Vol. 13, No. 1 January 200