Assessment of health and nutritional knowledge and practices of mothers in selected barangays [villages] of Rizal, Laguna [Philippines]

The study was conducted to assess the knowledge and practices of mothers with 0-24 months old children on health and nutrition in Barangay [village] Tala, Talaga and Pook, Rizal, Laguna. Specifically, it aimed to determine the factors (e.g. age and educational level of mothers, family income) that affect mothers' knowledge and practices on breastfeeding, weaning, and care of children and to identify the relationship of nutritional status of children and knowledge and practices of mothers. Data was gathered through an interview using a questionnaire and anthropemetric measurement of children and mothers. Mothers' anthropometric measurements such as weight and height were also considered as basis for determining children's nutritional status. Generally, the study revealed that there were only 10% underweight children aged 0-24 months old. More than one-third of the mothers was high school graduate and 19% did not finish high school. Almost half of mothers were in the age range of 22-29 years old. The age of mothers at first pregnancy was 19 years old. However, 45% of mothers experienced pregnancy once and 24% of them had been pregnant twice while 30% of mothers experienced pregnancy for three to nine times. Nevertheless, it did not mean that their children were equal to the number of pregnancy because some of them experienced miscarriage. Most the mothers were housewives and 41% belonged to above poverty threshold. Majority of the mothers were equipped and practiced proper care during and after pregnancy. Majority of the mothers were not equipped with knowledge and practices on breastfeeding. Likewise, giving the complementary foods to young children in the right time was not observed. However, mothers personally took care of their children and thereby giving the proper child care particularly when sick. Specific actions like intensive and appropriate designed nutrition counseling and seminar for malnourished families were still highly recommended to increase the knowledge and practices of mothers on breastfeeding and giving complementary foods. Further studies on evaluation of mothers' knowledge and practices on health and nutrition are essential for proper planning and implementation of nutrition intervention for prevention and eradication of malnutrition.