Safe infant feeding in healthcare facilities
Assessment of infection prevention and control conditions and behaviors in India, Malawi, and Tanzania
Dados Bibliográficos
Infants need to receive care in environments that limit their exposure to pathogens. Inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) environments and suboptimal infection prevention and control practices in healthcare settings contribute to the burden of healthcare-associated infections, which are particularly high in low-income settings. Specific research is needed to understand infant feeding preparation in healthcare settings, a task involving multiple behaviors that can introduce pathogens and negatively impact health. To understand feeding preparation practices and potential risks, and to inform strategies for improvement, we assessed facility WASH environments and observed infant feeding preparation practices across 12 facilities in India, Malawi, and Tanzania serving newborn infants. Research was embedded within the Low Birthweight Infant Feeding Exploration (LIFE) observational cohort study, which documented feeding practices and growth patterns to inform feeding interventions. We assessed WASH-related environments and feeding policies of all 12 facilities involved in the LIFE study. Additionally, we used a guidance-informed tool to carry out 27 feeding preparation observations across 9 facilities, enabling assessment of 270 total behaviors. All facilities had ‘improved’ water and sanitation services. Only 50% had written procedures for preparing expressed breastmilk; 50% had written procedures for cleaning, drying, and storage of infant feeding implements; and 33% had written procedures for preparing infant formula. Among 270 behaviors assessed across the 27 feeding preparation observations, 46 (17.0%) practices were carried out sub-optimally, including preparers not handwashing prior to preparation, and cleaning, drying, and storing of feeding implements in ways that do not effectively prevent contamination. While further research is needed to improve assessment tools and to identify specific microbial risks of the suboptimal behaviors identified, the evidence generated is sufficient to justify investment in developing guidance and programing to strengthen infant feeding preparation practices to ensure optimal newborn health
Environmental health · Environmental planning · Geography · Health care · Hygiene · Infection control · Intensive care medicine · Observational study · Psychological intervention · Sanitation · Tanzania · Breastfeeding Practices and Influences · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Medicine · Nursing · Pediatric health and respiratory diseases
Burden of endemic health-care-associated infection in developing countries
Risk of childhood undernutrition related to small-for-gestational age and preterm birth in low- and middle-income countries
National, regional, and worldwide estimates of low birthweight in 2015, with trends from 2000
Impact of a demand-side integrated Wash and nutrition community-based care group intervention on behavioural change
Facility-based care for moderately low birthweight infants in India, Malawi, and Tanzania
Hygiene During Childbirth
| Obras citantes distintas | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citações por ano | 0,5 |
| Intervalo de citações | 2024 - 2024 (1) |
| Velocidade de citação | recent |
| Altamente citado | Não |
| Tipos de citação | Neutras: 1 |