A study on knowledge and consumption of micronutrients among women visiting ANC.

Thesis Report

ABSTRACT: It is mandatory for Bachelor in Public Health students to do research in particular topic, for the partial fulfillment of the bachelor's degree. So for the fulfillment of Bachelor degree I had conducted research entitled "Knowledge and Consumption of micronutrient rich food among women visiting ANC". Micronutrient deficiency is a major public health problem of low income country like Nepal. Micronutrient like vitamin A, iron and iodine deficiency are more prevalent in pregnant women. Consequences of these deficiencies can be harmful to health of mother and child. Information regarding consumption of micronutrients among pregnant women is not enough. Therefore present study has been carried out. This study is descriptive and cross sectional and non interventional. Altogether 90 women were taken purposively for the study. The structured questionnaire was developed, pretested and used to collect the information. After the collection of the data, it was analyzed by using SPSS version 11.5. Also, the data was presented in different tables to make it more clear and specific. Among total respondents 43.3 % of the respondent were of age of 17 to 21 followed by women of age 22 to 26 i.e 33.3 %, 27 to 31 age group covers 17.8% percent, 32 to 36 age group covers 2.2 % and 37 to 41 age group covers 3.3 %. Most of the respondents were Hindu i.e 56.7%. Among total respondents, most of the respondents were Mongolian caste and others (beside Brahmin, Chhetri, and Newar) which place 61.1 percent. Majority of the respondents were from nuclear family i.e 66.7 %. Fifty six per cent of the respondents were literate and 44 % illiterate. Majority of the respondents have heard about vitamin A i.e 84%. About 32.3 percent told that green leaf vagetables is the major source of vitamin A, followed by yellow fruits 26.9 and 16.9 % of the respondents don't know about the soure of Vitamin A. About 43.6 % of the respondents did not know about the function of vitamin A. About 43.6 of the respondents did not know about the function of vitamin A in our body. Only 19.2 % of the respondents tild that increase in the immunity is the function of vitamin A, followed by maintains good vision and only 9% of the respondents told physical development is the function of Vitamin A. Most of the respondents i.e 63.3 % did not know about the importance of vitamin A in the pregnancy. Majority of the respondents 62.2 percent have heard about nightblindness. Among the respondent who have heard about night blindness, about 48.3% told that Vitamin A causes nightblindness, about 44.6 percent don't know about the causes of nightblindness. Majority of the respondents among total sample i.e 54.4 % did not hear about the importance of Vitamin A. Majority of the respondents i.e 63.3 % have heard about iron. Among the respondents 47.8 % respondents did not know about the source of iron. Only 15.9 % told pulses and green leafy vegetables is the source of vitamin. Seventy one percent did not know about the function of iron. About 16.4% told that iron prevents anemia and 4.9% told it increases immunity. Among total respondents, 77.7 % did not know about that the importance of iron in pregnancy. About 64.6 % have not heard about anemia. About 68.8% did not know about the causes of anemia. About 78.9% told that they did not hear about the importance of iron. Only 65.6% respondents told that they have taken iron tablet. Seventy two percent told that they have heard about iodine, 68% told that they did not know about the source of iodine. Only 20% told that two child logo salt is the source iodine. Ninety nine percent told that they consume two child logo salt. About 76 % told that they did not know about the importance of iodine in pregnancy. Only 12.2% told that it prevents physical and mental retardation. About 65.6% told that they were counseled on consumption of micronutrients during ANC.