Factors Associated with Bottle Feeding in Namibia: Findings from Namibia 2013 Demographic and Health Survey
1Africa Unit for Transdisciplinary Health Research, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.
Insights
Bottle feeding (BF) affects 35.7% of children in Namibia. Factors like maternal employment, education, and urban residence increase BF risk, necessitating targeted interventions for mothers.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Nutrition
Background:
- Bottle feeding (BF) is a feeding practice with potential implications for child health.
- Understanding the prevalence and associated factors of BF is crucial for developing effective public health interventions in low-resource settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of bottle feeding (BF) among children aged 0-23 months in Namibia.
- To identify sociodemographic and delivery-related factors associated with BF in Namibia.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the 2013 Namibia Demographic Health Survey.
- Included 1926 mother-baby pairs of last-born children aged 0-23 months.
- Employed Chi-square tests and binary logistic regression for statistical analysis.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of bottle feeding (BF) in Namibia was found to be 35.7%.
- Significant factors associated with increased BF risk included: working mothers, hospital delivery, older child age, higher maternal education, higher socioeconomic status (wealth quintile), and urban residence.
Conclusions:
- Targeted breastfeeding promotion programs are essential to reduce bottle feeding rates in Namibia.
- Interventions should prioritize mothers identified as being at higher risk, based on factors such as maternal employment, education, and residence.
Aim:
The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence of bottle feeding (BF) among children aged 0-23 months and factors associated with BF in Namibia.
Methods:
Data from Namibia 2013 Demographic Health Survey were used for the study. The study covered last-born alive children aged 0-23 months, making up 1926 mother-baby pairs. Chi-square tests and binary logistic regression were used to test for association between BF and related factors.
Results:
Prevalence of BF in Namibia was 35.7%. In the multivariate analysis, the following factors were significantly associated with increased risk of BF: working mothers, hospital delivery, increasing child age, higher mother's educational status, higher wealth quintile and urban residence.
Conclusion:
To achieve a substantial decrease in bottle usage rate in Namibia, breastfeeding promotion programmes should target all mothers but especially those at risk of BF highlighted in the study.
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