School of Public Health (Public-Health) Collections

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Browsing School of Public Health (Public-Health) Collections by Author "Aber, Harriet"
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    Adherence to complementary feeding guidelines and associated factors among caregivers of children 6-23 months in Lamwo District
    (Makerere University, 2015) Aber, Harriet
    Introduction: Undernutrition is unacceptably high in developing countries such as Uganda. For instance, stunting levels were at 33% in 2011 and were worse in rural areas such as Lamwo district with an even higher prevalence of stunting at 41%. Appropriate complementary feeding is one of the crucial interventions in curbing these levels of malnutrition, however, the factors associated with adherence to complementary feeding are unknown in rural Lamwo district. This study assessed the level of adherence to complementary feeding guidelines and its associated factors among mothers and caregivers of children 6-23 months using the theory of planned behavioural constructs. Methods: This was a household cross sectional study among 350 respondents. Data was collected using an interviewer administered questionnaire. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression was used for statistical analysis. Results: Only 40.1% (140/349) of our study respondents were adherent to complementary feeding guidelines. The odds of adherence to complementary feeding were higher among caregivers with children aged 6-8 months (AOR=4.68, 95% CI 1.91-11.48), children whose fathers had attained either secondary or tertiay education (AOR= 2.27, 95% CI 1.22-4.19), caregivers with two children under five years (AOR= 5.46, 95% CI 1.46-20.36), those belonging to the poorest wealth quintile (AOR=3.00, 95% CI 1.37-6.57) and those who showed willingness to recommend initiation of complementary feeding at six months to another mother (AOR= 1.34 95% CI 1.06-1.70). Other factors such as the influence of socio norms and the precieved behavioural control factors were found to not be associated with adherence to complementary feeding. Conclusions: Adherence to complementary feeding guidelines was very low in Lamwo indicating the urgent need for interventions to improve adherence with subsequent reduction in rates of undernutrition. Interventions such as education on the guidelines for complementary feeding and behaviour change communication involving all the stakeholders in infant and young child feeding could be an effective intervention in this setting.
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    Factors associated with the quality of groundwater in Lukaya Town Council, Kalungu District
    (Makerere University, 2023-11-13) Aber, Harriet
    Introduction: Globally, groundwater sources have increasingly become contaminated by physical, chemical and microbiological contaminants leading to deterioration of groundwater quality. This has led to increased morbidity and mortality. Despite efforts to improve quality and governance of groundwater sources in Lukaya Town Council, there is limited documentation therefore safety of the sources cannot be monitored. Objective: To assess the factors associated with the quality of groundwater sources in Lukaya Town Council so as to inform policy and design of interventions. Methodology: A cross-sectional study employing both quantitative and qualitative methods. Secondary data was reviewed from AfriWatSan database. Forty-five groundwater sources were sampled, inspected for sanitary risks using WHO (1997) sanitary risk survey tools and water quality sampling and done using WHO and APHA standard procedures respectively. Additional qualitative data was collected from seven key informants to understand the institutional factors associated with microbiological quality of groundwater in Lukaya Town Council. Univariate and bivariate analysis of quantitative data was done. Results: Majority, 95.6%(43/45) and 97.6% (44/45) of the groundwater sources had a pH lower than the WHO standard for drinking water during wet and dry seasons respectively. The seasonal difference in contamination of groundwater sources with E.coli was statistically significant (p=0.000). Latrine being within 10m/30m of the groundwater source; (p=0.001), (p=0.001), latrine being uphill of the groundwater source (p=0.002), (p=0.001) cracked or damaged apron (p=0.001), (p=0.032) were significantly associated with microbiological quality of groundwater sources in wet and dry seasons respectively. Institutional factors associated with microbiological quality of water included; policies and regulations that govern groundwater sources, operations and maintenance and finance for groundwater sources. Conclusion: Most groundwater sources in Lukaya Town Council are contaminated hence predisposing residents to diarrhoeal diseases. Governance of the groundwater sources is also poor and therefore the need for strengthening law enforcement to prevent contamination of the sources