Socio-Demographic Predictors of Exclusive Breastfeeding Practice in Nsukka Urban Area of Enugu State

Abstract

Exclusive breastfeeding is the most efficient type of infant feeding for the first six months of life. It protects infants from infectious diseases. This study examined socio-demographic predictors of exclusive breastfeeding practice among childbearing mothers in Nsukka urban area of Enugu State. The instrument for data collection was researchers designed and validated questionnaire. Direct approach was used to administer the questionnaire. The researcher with the aid of three research assistants administered and collected data from the respondents. The population for the study consisted of 8,458 of childbearing mothers in Nsukka urban area of Enugu State, out of which 592 were sampled using Cochran formula. All the data collected were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) while frequency distribution tables and percentages were used to present the results. Chi-square (χ²) was used to test the hypotheses; and binary logistic regression was used to predict the effect of independent variables on a dependent variable. The result showed that there is statistically significant relationship between marital status (χ2 =40.151, P=.021) and education (χ2 =6.360, P=.007)and practice of EBF. Results from regression analysis showed that religion, education and parity were the best predictors of EBF practice. The findings further revealed that majority (60.1%) of the respondents attested that they did not practice EBF due to work pressure, lack of family and social among others. As such, government, organizations, health care providers and social workers should rise to their separate responsibilities in enlightening the mothers and the entire public about the risk of complementary feeding and importance of EBF, and consequently equip them with the better ways of managing the practice. This would definitely help to curtail the diseases and incidence of loss of infants and children as a result of not practicing EBF.