Essential Nutrition Action practice and Associated Factors among Heath Workers Rendering Antenatal care Health services at public Health facilities In Assossa zone, West Ethiopia.

Abstract

Background:-Essential Nutrition Action (ENA) is an operational frame work for managing the advocacy, planning, and the delivery of an integrated package of preventive nutritional actions encompassing infant and young child feeding, micronutrient and the nutrition of woman. However, ENA practice and associated factors among health workers is less understood in low-income countries. Objective: - Thus the Objective of this study was to assess Essential Nutrition actions practice and associated factors among health workers rendering in antenatal care health services at public facilities in Assossa zone, West Ethiopia. Method and materials: - A Health facility based cross-sectional study design supplemented with qualitative inquiry was used. Quantitative data on the ENA Practice were collected from 382 Health workers in three selected district Health facilities, from May 25 to June 15/2017 using a pre tested interviewer administered questionnaire. Qualitative data were collected using in-depth interview and observation of client provider interaction in purposively selected health facilities. Bi-variable logistic regression analyses were done to see the association between dependent and each independent variable. Odds ratio along with 95% confidence interval were estimated to identify factors associated with ENA practice. The qualitative data were analyzed manually using thematic framework analysis. Result: - ENA was practiced by 61%, 95%CI (56%, 65.8%) of the health workers. Having been supervised on ENA [AOR=4.352, 95%CI (2.362, 8.019)], having good knowledge about ENA [AOR=2.725, 95%CI (1.602, 4.335)], having monthly report form for nutrition indicators [AOR=1.94, 95%CI (1.079, 3.486)], running out of IEC material within the last 30 days [AOR=0.294, 95%CI (0.172, 0.504)], and availability the micronutrients iron {AOR=2.221, 95%CI(1.123, 4.394)] were significantly associated with ENA practice. Conclusions and Recommendations: - ENA Practice in the study area was low. Supervision on ENA, knowledge on ENA, monthly report form including nutrition indicators, IEC material stock xvii out, and availability of micronutrients were found to be associated with ENA practice. Therefore, training, supervision, incorporation of ENA indicators in monthly report form, supply of IEC material and micronutrients should be strengthened