Practical of the mothers of children of less than 5 years as regards health and nutrition in the district ofSikasso in Mali

Abstract

Introduction : The area of Sikasso although it is overall surplus with an agricultural level of production knew in 2010 connait a level of prévalence of malnutrition. Vis-a-vis this paradox, the present study on the level of knowledge, the attitudes and the practices of the households as regards health, nutrition was carried out in order to reduce the prevalency of malnutrition in the area. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study by cluster sampling was carried out of June 3 at July 16, 2010 in six communes of the circle of Sikasso (Dioumatènè, Finkolo, Kléla, Pimperna, Socourani, Sikasso) composed of 38 producing potato villages. The level of knowledge, the attitudes and the practices of 1182 mothers of children from 6 to 59 months on health and the nutrition were carried out. Results : Nearly 60% of the children from 6 to 59 months had been sick. The fever (35,1%), the diarrhoea (27,9%) and cough (21,2%) were the principal symptoms observed. In the event of disease nearly 33,5% of households had against recourse to the traditional care 25,3% for the modern care. Approximately 52 % of mothers had stated to know the signs of paludism and 63% the causes of the diarrhoea. L has pump was the principal source D ' supply out of drink water of the households as well in of dry season (49,3%) as in rainy season (48,3%). Nearly 87 % of households had latrines traditional or improved which were into bad in 54% of the cases. The washing of the hands was done collectively in 86,3% of the cases in the same container. The breast feeding was practised by more than 70% of the mothers with a setting with the immediate centre E D years 51,2%. It was exclusive in 54,7% of the cases. The levels of prévalence of the three forms of malnutrition were very high with respectively 11,1 % of emaciation, 51,5 % of delay of growth and 34,6% of underweight. The children from 12 to 23 month were touched by the emaciation and the delay of growth whereas the underweight struck more the age bracket 36 to 47 months. Conclusion : The low level of knowledge and practice of the mothers hygiene cleansing, the ignorance of the signs of diarrhoea make that the nutritional situation of the children from 6 to 59 months was alarming. Required to develop publicity campaigns integrated in a program of multisector development could contribute to the improvement of the medical and nutritional state of the populations concerned.