Knowledge Attitude And Practice Of Health Extension Workers Towards Growth Monitoring And Promotion Program

This study was designed and conducted with the aim of assessing knowledge, attitude, practicernand challenges of HEWs towards the Growth Monitoring and Promotion programs inrnEndamohoni, Sasi tsada emba, Medebay Zana woredas of Tigray Region. Growth Monitoring isrna screening tool to diagnose nutritional problems and status of children at an early stage. It hasrnbeen suggested that growth monitoring has the potential for significant impact on mortality evenrnin the absence of nutrition supplementation or education. A cross sectional survey through LOTrnQuality Assurance method assisted by FGD, observation methods. Accordingly, 114 surveyrnquestionnaires for HEWs, 30 FGD, 9 KII were conducted from March 1to April 18, 2014. Arnpre-coded, pre-tested and structured questionnaire was used for the quantitative method andrnFGD was conducted in the three woredas for the qualitative method. The findings of the studyrnindicated that the HEW’s overall knowledge of GM was found to be 96% and about 85 % ofrnthem recognized that GM was one of a child health program. The most widely used standardrnGPM equipment was found to be MUAC 46.9% and Wt scale 35%. As to the knowledge of HEWrnin using these materials, 54.7% of them need additional refresher trainings and 41.1% ofrnrespondents reported that they know it very well. Besides, 86.2% faced a problem in doing GMPrnand the most frequent challenges were getting a result for the same child in different time wasrndifferent (31%), difficulty in reading the scale (27.8%) and the result is different in time (21.1%).rnSubsequent in-service training was received by (84.4%) of HEW and, the content of the trainingsrnthat were given for the HEW 78(29.7%) of the trainings focused on definition of GMP, itsrnimportant, 75(28.5%) on how to do GMP, 70(26.6%) how to use the result after weighing a childrnand only 40(15.2%) how to link the child with other programs. One third (75%) have reportedrnthat they have a good motive towards GMP while the HEWs activities were by and large beingrnlimited to the measurement of weight and MUAC of children who attended the HC. Top threernreasons of HEW not giving counseling during GMP were luck of training on how to counsel 18rn(60%), work burden 5(16.7%) and shortage of time 5(16.7%). Although growth charts werernavailable in 70.5% of the selected health posts the study covered, they were used only in 51%.rnThe main reason of not using was the lack of skills. The result of the qualitative data indicatedrnthat there was a fair knowledge GM by the HEW participated in the study yet the practice levelrnwas found to be very less due to challenges as lack of attention to the details of workingrnconditions and to human resources management (underdeveloped environment); absence ofrnInstitutional arrangements for management of health service extension program at all levels;rnabsence of regular supervision not doing monitoring the quality of training and solicitingrncooperation of other social sectors; unavailability of contraceptives, infrastructure, vaccines inrnsustainable manner poor equipment and supply for GM practice. The study recommended thatrnthe GMP need due attention and rapid remedial intervention by joint efforts of the government,rnconcerned NGO’s civil societies and the community itself

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