INFANT FEEDING PRACTICE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG HIV POSITIVE MOTHERS IN DEBRE MARKOS REFERRAL HOSPITAL, NORTH WEST ETHIOPIA

Introduction: The dilemma posed between life saving benefit and risk of transmission through breast feeding complicate infant feedings in communities grossly affected by HIV/AIDS. Objective: To assess infant feeding practice... [ view full abstract ]

Introduction: The dilemma posed between life saving benefit and risk of transmission through breast feeding complicate infant feedings in communities grossly affected by HIV/AIDS.
Objective: To assess infant feeding practice and associated factors among HIV positive mothers in Debre Markos Referral Hospital, North west Ethiopia, 2013.
Methods: An institutional based cross sectional study was conducted from May 6 to September 5, 2013. Randomly selected 260 HIV positive mothers who had an infant or last child less than 2 years of age attending PMTCT service and or on ARV treatment were included in the study. The data were collected by using a pretested structured questionnaire. EPI Info version 3.5.1 and SPSS for windows version 16.0 software package were used for data entry and analysis respectively. P value less than 0.05 was considered to decide statistical significance. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to check associations and to control confounders.
Results: A total of 260 HIV positive mothers were included in the study. Of which 223 (85.8%) were feeding their children based on the recommended way of infant feeding practice with the remaining percentage 37(14.2%) had practiced mixed feeding. In multivariate analysis mothers attending high school and above AOR = 5.25 [95% CI =1.25-22.1], having ANC follow up AOR = 5.5 [95% CI = 1.5-20.16] being on ART AOR = 6.5 [95% CI = 1.88-22.51] and disclosure of HIV status AOR = 7.1 [95% CI = 1.26-39.76] were found to be independently associated with infant feeding practice.
Conclusion and recommendation: This study revealed that large proportion of HIV positive mothers followed the recommended infant feeding practice and significantly high number of mothers had practiced mixed feeding. Educating women, increasing ANC utilization, counseling mothers to start ART and encouraging mothers to disclose their HIV status were recommended.