MOTHERS KNOWLEDGE OF UNDER-FIVE CHILDREN ON DAY CARE ATTENDANCE AS A RISK FACTOR FOR COMMON COLD IN IBADAN NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT, OYO STATE.

Abstract

Common cold (CC) is one of the major causes of ill health in children and those who attend daycare, especially before 3 years of age, suffer infectious episodes that are more severe. Mothers who are the primary care givers are pivotal in the management of this condition, However their knowledge regarding CC and day care have not been fully explored. This study therefore investigated mothers knowledge of under-5 children on day care attendance as a risk factor for CC in Ibadan North Local Government Area (LGA). A cross-sectional survey involving 385 willing mothers of under-5 children attending Daycare facilities in Ibadan North LGA was conducted. A three-stage sampling technique involving random selection of 5 wards from the 12 wards in the LGA, proportionate selection of 10 Daycare centres from the selected wards and proportionate selection of 385 consenting respondents was adopted. Respondents were interviewed using a pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaire that contained 9 point knowledge on CC, 10 – point attitude and 11- point knowledge scales on day care as risk factor. Knowledge scores on CC of ≥ 5 and < 5 were rated as good and poor , ≥ 6 and ˂6 was categorized as good and poor mothers knowledge on day care as risk factor and scores ≥6 was categorized as positive attitude. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test at p˂0.05. Respondents' age was 33.6±5.4 years with 64.2% between 30-49 years, 80.0% had tertiary education , and 34.3% were business women . Majority (64.5%) stopped breastfeeding between 7months-1 year, 54.8% started complementary feeding between 5-6 months and 89.6% have fully immunized their child. Most (46.2%) started taking their children to daycare between 6months -1 year and main reason for taking their children to daycare was so that somebody can look after them when they are at work (61.0%). More of the children (45.5%) spend between 7- 10 hours in the Day care. Mean knowledge score on CC was 6.3±1.1 and 81.6% had good knowledge of CC. Most (88.1%) correctly defined CC as an infection of the respiratory track and only 24.7% correctly identified touching the discharge of an infected person as the cause of CC. Most (53.2%) said their children develop common cold when they started day care. Majority (69.6%) had good knowledge of day care risk with a mean score of 6.5±2.15 and positive attitude towards CC prevention (90.6%) with a mean score of 8.3±1.93. Some (46.5%) agreed that Day care/ pre-nursery school contribute to a child’s manifestation of common cold and 60.3% said that their children developed CC once in a month. The level of education significantly influenced respondents’ attitude to CC prevention and their knowledge on day care as a risk factor to CC. Knowledge of mothers on the real cause of CC was low. A sustainable health education program should be developed to enlighten parents on the causes of most communicable diseases.