Association between mass media exposure and infant and young child feeding practices in India: a cross-sectional
Dhriti Dhawan1, Ramya Pinnamaneni2, K Viswanath3,2
1Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, LW 601, Boston, MA, 02215-5450, USA. dhriti_dhawan@dfci.harvard.edu.
Insights
Mass media exposure, particularly television, is linked to better infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices in India. Tailoring media strategies to urban and rural settings can improve child nutrition and survival rates.
Area of Science:
- Public Health and Nutrition
- Maternal and Child Health
- Health Communication
Background:
- The first two years of life are critical for child nutrition, survival, growth, and development.
- Optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are crucial, especially in developing nations like India, where they can prevent significant under-5 mortality.
- Understanding the role of mass media in promoting IYCF practices is essential for designing effective public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between various mass media exposures and appropriate IYCF practices in India.
- To provide evidence for using mass media channels to promote optimal breastfeeding and complementary feeding.
- To identify potential for large-scale intervention strategies based on media-behavior associations.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from India's National Family Health Survey 5 (NFHS-5), 2019-2021.
- Utilization of multivariable logistic regression to assess the relationship between IYCF practices and mass media exposure.
- Control for demographic and socioeconomic status variables in the analysis.
Main Results:
- Overall, women exposed to television, followed by newspapers and movies, showed higher odds of adopting recommended IYCF practices.
- Media exposure associations with IYCF practices varied geographically; television positively impacted all practices in rural areas.
- In urban areas, television exposure was specifically linked to early initiation of breastfeeding (OR 1.25; 95% CI 1.1-1.42).
Conclusions:
- Strategic selection of mass media channels can effectively promote IYCF practices on a large scale.
- Customizing media interventions based on specific urban-rural contexts is key to influencing IYCF behaviors.
- Leveraging mass media offers a viable pathway to improve child nutrition and health outcomes in India.
Abstract:
The first two years of life is a critical window for good nutrition. Promoting infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices in the first two years can help improve child survival and promote healthy growth and development. Assessment of IYCF practices is important, especially in developing countries like India where optimal IYCF practices can potentially prevent 12% of all deaths under 5 years of age, to promote awareness and intervene appropriately. The objective of our study is to generate evidence for the association between different types of mass media and appropriate IYCF practices in India, including optimal breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding practices. A positive association between them can point to intervention at scale. We analyzed data from India's National Family Health Survey 5 (NFHS-5), 2019-2021. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association of appropriate IYCF practices with mass media exposure. After controlling for demographics and socioeconomic status, the analyses showed that, overall, women who had exposure to television followed by newspaper and movies, had higher odds of adopting the recommended IYCF practices. The results also showed that the association of media exposure varied for different IYCF practices by geography. For instance, in the rural areas, television exposure was positively associated with all the IYCF practices, but in the urban areas, television exposure was positively associated with only early initiation of breastfeeding [OR 1.25; (95% CI 1.1-1.42)]. The study strengthens our understanding that an appropriate selection of mass media channels for intervention programs can promote IYCF practices at scale. Appropriately selecting the type of mass media to create awareness about different IYCF practices, in specific urban-rural settings, could help customize intervention programs to successfully influence IYCF behaviors.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
00:55Parental Care
01:20Attachment
01:29Environmental Influences on Intelligence
01:26Methods Of Healthcare Delivery System
Managed Care System:
The managed care system is designed to control the cost while maintaining the quality of care. The patient's care from admission to discharge is planned by the primary care provider or the case manager, also known as the gatekeeper. In a managed care system, the number of care providers is...
01:27Parenting Styles
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative...