A Study on Maternal Knowledge and Attitude in Regard to Infant and Child Health

Kim, Jai Oh; Lee, Ho Jin; Ahn, Don Hee; Sohn, Keun Chan

Abstract

A study was carried out to see the knowledge, attitude and practice of mothers in regard to infant and child health through enquete. The questionnaires were filled up by 350 mothers who registered at Well Baby Clinic, National Medical Center, during two months period from March, 1980 to April, 1980. The survey intended to look into maternal knowledge and attitude toward pregnancy, prenatal care, nutritional care, vaccination and health care. The following conclusions were obtained. 1. Among the mothers enrolled in this study, the age group in 25~29 constituted the largest proportion(58.3%) and the mean age was 28.0 years. 2. High school graduates occupied the largest proportion(48.1%) of the respondents. 3. The most frequent age of the first delivery was in 25~29(63.7%) years. 4. Concerning the knowledge on pregnancy, delivery and child rearing, the majority of the primary school graduates learned from their parents in law, the middle & high school graduates acquired through reading books or magazines and the college graduates learned by school education. 5. Regular prenatal cares were taken in 70% of the respondents. 6. Regarding the knowledge about the influences on fetus of the diseases during pregnancy, there noted the difference among the respondents by education, and most of them notified ventral diseases and tuberculosis as the diseases most concerned. 7. Breast feeding only was done in 50% of the respondents until the 3 months of age of the infants, and bottle feedings supplemented by solid foods or other was the most common type of feeding after 3 months of age to 15 months of age followed by adult type diet afterwards. 8. Relation between the educational level of mothers and the method of infant feeding disclosed that the higher the education level, the higher the bottle feeding. 9. About 71% of the mothers replied that they know the significance or the necessity of the weaning. The ideal starting period of weaning was thought 4~6 months in 58.6% of the respondents. 10. The most common initial weaning food was fruits and vegetables(50.4%) followed by cereals(18.7%) and commercial weaning food products(17.4%) 11. Regarding the most important nutrient in infants and children, they notified vitamins most commonly(46.9%) and more than half of them supplied the vitamins to their infants. 12. About 42% of all mothers know the beginning period of primary vaccinations as 2 months of age, 69.7% of them recognized the next vaccinations and 77.1% of them immunized their infants as schedule. 13. Most of the mothers(96.6%) realized the necessity and importance of the vaccination. A few mothers, however, had knowledge on the side effects of DPT vaccination. 14. The most concerned problem with regard to health care was the illness(42.9%). In more than half, health care was provided only on well baby clinic visits.