Barriers to utilize nutrition interventions among lactating women in rural communities of Tigray, northern Ethiopia: An exploratory study

Selemawit Asfaw Beyene; Lemlem Weldegerima; Freweini Gebrearegay Tela; Omer Seid; Amal Tucker Brown; Afework Mulugeta Bezabih

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0250696

Barriers to utilize nutrition interventions among lactating women in rural communities of Tigray, northern Ethiopia: An exploratory study

PLoS One. 2021 Apr 30;16(4):e0250696. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250696. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Selemawit Asfaw Beyene¹, Lemlem Weldegerima¹, Freweini Gebrearegay Tela¹, Omer Seid², Amal Tucker Brown³, Afework Mulugeta Bezabih¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mek'ele, Ethiopia.
² Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
³ Nutrition Section, UNICEF Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Abstract

Background: While lactation is a physiological process requiring high energy demand to fulfill the nutrient requirements of the mother and the breastfeeding child, many factors affecting maternal nutrient intake can lead to nutritional deficits. Previous studies in Ethiopia have reported the prevalence of maternal and child undernutrition and related complications. However, qualitative studies exploring potential barriers to utilizing available nutrition interventions are limited. This study, therefore, sought to qualitatively explore barriers hindering the uptake of nutrition services among lactating mothers from rural communities in Tigray, northern Ethiopia.

Methods: We conducted 6 in-depth interviews, 70 key informant interviews, and 13 focus group discussions among purposively selected community groups, experts, and lactating mothers between November- 2017 and January- 2018. Audio records of all interviews and focus group discussions were transcribed verbatim (word-to-word) and translated into English. Then, translated data were analyzed thematically using qualitative data analysis software Atlas ti-version 7.4.

Results: The participants in this study perceived that lactating mothers in their study area are not properly utilizing available and recommended nutrition interventions, and as a result, their nutrient intake was reported as inadequate. Participants identified inadequate accessibility and availability of foods, feeding practices, cultural and religious influences, focus on agricultural production and productivity, barriers related to health services and poor access to water, sanitation and hygiene as major barriers hindering the uptake of nutrition interventions by lactating women in Tigray, northern Ethiopia.

Conclusion: The uptake of nutrition intervention services was low among lactating mothers and was hindered by multiple socio-cultural and health service related factors requiring problem-specific interventions at community, health facility, and administrative levels to improve the nutritional status of lactating mothers in the study area.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Cultural Deprivation
Delivery of Health Care
Ethiopia
Female
Focus Groups
Humans
Hygiene / standards
Interviews as Topic
Knowledge
Lactation
Mothers / psychology*
Nutritional Status*
Rural Population
Sanitation / standards

Grants and funding

The funding source was UNICEF and Tigray Regional Health Bureau. The funding body didn’t have any role in the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript.