Fathers’ Involvement in Child Feeding Practice and Its Associated Factors among Fathers Having Children Aged 6 to 24 Months in Ambo Town, Ethiopia

Abstract

Introduction: Fathers involvement in child feeding refers to the positive influence father have on child feeding habits, including financial and resource, social and physical support. While previous research has focused on the role of mothers in infant and young child feeding practices, the involvement of fathers in this area has been less studied. Objective: To assess fathers’ involvement in child feeding and associated factors among fathers having children aged 6 to 24 months in Ambo town, Ambo, Ethiopia, 2024 Methods: A community based cross-sectional study design with a concurrent quantitative and qualitative research approach was employed from January 01 to March 01, 2024. Multistage sampling technique was used to select 634 fathers who have child aged 6 to 24 months. A key informant interview guide was used to collect qualitative data from purposively selected 17 key-informants. The quantitative data were entered into Epi-data 3.1 and exported to Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 27 for analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize descriptive data. Bivariate and multivariable binary logistic regression was done. Statistical significance was declared at p<0.05 and 95% confidence level. Qualitative data was analyzed manually using thematic analysis and the result was triangulated with the quantitative data. Result: A total of 593 fathers of 6-24 months old children were included in the study, with a response rate of 93.5%, Father’s involvement in child feeding was 54.1%, (95% C.I: 50.04%, 58.2%). Factors that were significantly associated with good fathers’ involvement in child feeding include fathers with diploma and above AOR=3.418 (95%CI: 1.19, 9.83), fathers with government and non-government/private employed AOR=3.75 (95%CI: 1.10, 12.76 and AOR=3.65 (95%CI: 1.01, 13.19) respectively, participants spouse government and non government/private employed AOR=3.48 (95%CI: 1.6, 7.59) and AOR=2.61 (95%CI: 1.11, 6.16) respectively, positive attitude AOR=3.87 (95%CI: 2.23, 6.73), positively perceived cultural practices AOR=2.312 (95% CI: 1.36, 3.94), good knowledge AOR=2.21, (95%CI: 1.298, 3.750). The barriers to father involvement in child feeding practices like attitude, cultural practices in the community, and occupational status of both father and mother were explored. Conclusion: The study showed that only half of fathers was involved in their child’s feeding. Positive attitude, positively perceived cultural practices in the community, good knowledge, diploma and above educational status of the father and government and non-government/ private employed of both father and spouse significantly associated with good fathers’ involvement towards child feeding practice. Negatively perceived cultural practices in the community and negative attitudes are main barriers. Programs need to be incorporated into the health extension workers to encourage fathers to be involved in in child feeding.