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Suboptimal infant and young child feeding practices among internally displaced persons during conflict in eastern
Aimee Summers1, Oleg O Bilukha2
11Epidemic Intelligence Service,Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,Atlanta,GA,USA.
Insights
Conflict significantly impacts infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices among internally displaced persons (IDP) in Ukraine. Humanitarian aid must address maternal stress and support IYCF adherence amidst displacement.
Area of Science:
- Public Health and Nutrition
- Humanitarian Crises and Child Health
- Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) Practices
Background:
- Conflict in eastern Ukraine has led to a significant population of internally displaced persons (IDPs).
- Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices are critical for child survival and development, especially in vulnerable populations.
- Understanding the specific challenges faced by IDPs regarding IYCF is essential for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the current state of IYCF practices among IDPs in eastern Ukraine.
- To identify areas for improvement in IYCF support for displaced populations.
- To determine the specific effects of conflict-related stress on IYCF behaviors.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional household survey was conducted in June 2015 in Ukrainian oblasts bordering the conflict zone.
- The study included 477 randomly selected IDP households with children under 2 years old.
- Data collection utilized WHO IYCF assessment questionnaires, and mid-upper arm circumference was measured for anthropometric assessment.
Main Results:
- Exclusive breastfeeding prevalence for infants under 6 months was low at 25.8%.
- Bottle-feeding was prevalent (68.1%), and early introduction of solids was common (98.6% for 6-8 months).
- Maternal stress related to conflict was a significant reason for discontinuing breastfeeding before 6 months (45.7%).
Conclusions:
- Conflict-induced stress severely disrupts recommended IYCF practices among IDPs.
- Humanitarian action is crucial to help mothers cope with stress and support adherence to IYCF guidelines.
- Interventions should provide tailored support, acknowledging the challenges of maintaining optimal feeding practices during displacement.
Objective:
To determine current status, areas for improvement and effect of conflict on infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices among internally displaced persons (IDP) in eastern Ukraine.
Design:
Cross-sectional household survey, June 2015.
Setting:
Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhia oblasts (Ukrainian administrative divisions) bordering conflict area in Ukraine.
Subjects:
Randomly selected IDP households with children aged <2 years registered with local non-governmental organizations. Questions based on the WHO IYCF assessment questionnaire were asked for 477 children. Mid-upper arm circumference was measured in 411 children aged 6-23 months.
Results:
Exclusive breast-feeding prevalence for infants aged <6 months was 25·8 (95 % CI 15·8, 38·0) %. Percentage of mothers continuing breast-feeding when their child was aged 1 and 2 years was 53·5 (95 % CI 43·2, 63·6) % and 20·6 (95 % CI 11·5, 32·7) %, respectively. Bottle-feeding was common for children aged <2 years (68·1 %; 95 % CI 63·7, 72·3 %). Almost all infants aged 6-8 months received solid foods (98·6 %; 95 % CI 88·5, 99·9 %). Mothers who discontinued breast-feeding before their infant was 6 months old more often listed stress related to conflict as their primary reason for discontinuation (45·7 %) compared with mothers who discontinued breast-feeding when their child was aged 6-23 months (14·3 %; P<0·0001).
Conclusions:
To mitigate the effects of conflict and improve child health, humanitarian action is needed focused on helping mothers cope with stress related to conflict and displacement while supporting women to adhere to recommended IYCF practices if possible and providing appropriate support to women when adherence is not feasible.
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