The influence of caregiving resources on child physical growth development aged 6-23 months in Myanmar

Abstract

This study used secondary data from Myanmar Demographic Health Survey (MDHS) 2015-2016, which was done by a nationally representative cross-sectional survey. It aimed to describe and analyze the influence of caregiving factors and child physical growth development status in Myanmar. In this study, 1,278 of 6-23 months old children and their mothers who met inclusion and exclusion criteria in Myanmar were included. Then, descriptive analysis, binary and multiple logistic regression methods were used to answer the research questions. The results showed the prevalence of child stunting, underweight and wasting was 20.7 %, 14.2 % and 7.7 %, respectively. These data were calculated using the 2006 WHO child growth standards. In a final model of multiple logistic regression analysis, children, who were boys, at an older age group, born with small size at birth, living in a household with 3-5 under-five years old children, a household with 5-7 members , a household with poor or middle wealth quartiles, having mothers with short stature of height and low body weight, having currently working mothers, having basic sanitation facilities, not still breastfeeding and having no facilities, had positive association with child stunting. For child underweight, children, who were boys, at the oldest age group, born with small size at birth, living in a household with 3-5 under-five years old children, having mothers with short stature of height and low body weight, were predictors. For wasting, anemia level of mother was the only significant variable for child wasting, but it was not fit with the model. For stunting and underweight, child's sex, age and birth size were the same predictors as child factors, and the number of under-five years old children in a household, mother's height and weight were predictors as caregiving resources. This study proved the important role of the caregiving resources and behavior in child physical growth development status in Myanmar. Thus, to improve the maternal nutrition status, all mothers, adolescent, pregnant mothers and all marriage couples should be given the health educations on healthy diet using not only formal ways but also innovative ways to expand the coverage of access to information. Then, along with health education on nutrition, the technique of cooking the adequate nutritious food using the locally available resources should be used to train them and produce nutrition volunteers in every village, especially less coverage areas of health care staff. School health program focusing on reproductive health and healthy diet style should be initiated in high school. Moreover, livelihood program which could support the economics of household should be initiated in community, especially for household with under-five years old children, large family size, and pregnant mothers. IMPLICATION OF THESIS As this study used the nation-wide data, the information will be useful to policy makers and relevant stakeholders at the national level of Ministry of health and sports (MoHS) to develop the evidence-based intervention to reduce the prevalence of child undernutrition in Myanmar.