Document Type
Master's Culminating Experience
Publication Date
2015
Abstract
Background: Non-optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are associated with malnutrition, infant mortality and under-five mortality, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the risk of under-five mortality is 15 times higher than developed countries.
Objective: To determine implementation effects of the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding before and after WBTi tool assessment using infant/child health data collected between 2000 and 2013 in Cameroon.
Methods: A descriptive analysis of Cameroon’s policies, programmes and practices was conducted using the WBTi tool. Child survival and nutrition indicators before (2003-2008) and after (2009-2013) WBTi assessment were analyzed using data from the 2009 and 2015 State of the World’s Children statistical tables Results: Implementation of the GSIYCF improved after WBTi assessment in 2008. Cameroon’s policies and programmes improved more than practices. Under-five and infant mortality rates over the period markedly improved. From 2009 to 2013 there was a 9.4% increase in complementary feeding rates, 14.3% increase in rates of infants still breastfeeding/breastfeeding at age two, and a 6% decrease in undernutrition in children between zero and 59 months.
Conclusion: The findings of this study reflect an increase in IYCF implementation effects on child survival and nutrition indicators after WBTi assessment compared with the WHO tool era. This suggests that use of the WBTi tool helped Cameroon focus on specific childhood preventive health interventions to improve child survival and nutrition indicators in Cameroon. The Ministry of Health should support continued use of the WBTi tool.
Repository Citation
Mosimah, C. I. (2015). Impact of the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding on Nutrition and Child Survival Indicators as Illustrated by the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative Tool. Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.
