Study of the knowledge, attitude and practice between the mothers/caretakers of the recipients and non-recipients of the rehabilition program for undernourished children in Kuching Division, Sarawak
The main macronutrient deficiency problem among Malaysian children is protein and energy malnutrition, which is manifested in children being underweight for their age. The Rehabilitation Program for Undernourished Children (Program Pemulihan Kanak-Kanak Kekurangan Zat Makanan, PPKZM), is the gove...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2012
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/10380/1/Haseanti.PDF |
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| Summary: | The main macronutrient deficiency problem among Malaysian children is protein and energy
malnutrition, which is manifested in children being underweight for their age. The
Rehabilitation Program for Undernourished Children (Program Pemulihan Kanak-Kanak
Kekurangan Zat Makanan, PPKZM), is the government's effort to improve health and
nutritional status of children aged less than six years. It was implemented by the Ministry of
Health from 1989 till now. It was then an immediate strategy to rehabilitate 12,690
undernourished children detected through the Nutrition Surveillance System in 1988. In this
program, children who met the eligibility criteria were given food aid to help them obtain a
balanced and nutritious food, in order to achieve optimal physical and mental development. A
cross-sectional study was done among the mothers/caretakers of beneficiaries and nonbeneficiaries
of the PPKZM program to determine their socio-demographic characteristics
and to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice on child nutrition in the Kuching Division,
Sarawak. The total respondents were 153. Majority of the respondents were in the 30-34 age
group; they were mostly Bidayuhs and Christians. Most of them attended until secondary
school. Nearly all of them were housewives. A high percentage (51.0 %) of them had a
family size of 3-4 persons and less than 3 children. Majority of the respondents had good
knowledge and good practice regarding child nutrition, but there was no statistically
significant differepce in knowledge and practice between the mothers/caretakers of the
PPKZM recipients and non-recipients. Most of the respondents had good attitude regarding
child nutrition. There was a statistically significant difference in attitude between the
mothers/caretakers of the PPKZM recipients and non-recipients (p<0.05). There were more
respondents with good attitude among the mothers/caretakers of the PPKZM recipients than
the mothers/caretakers of the PPKZM non-recipients indicating that the PPKZM program and its related activities may have influence in affecting better attitude. The program should be
continued, periodically evaluated and implemented with more effective activities. Future
research should dwell more on the factors influencing the knowledge, attitude and practice of
the mothers/caretakers on child nutrition and its linkages to the children's nutritional status. |
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