2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

Home Events & Meetings Annual Meeting Schedule & Program

Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

338047
Impact of the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding on Nutrition and Child Survival Indicators in Cameroon as illustrated by the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi) Tool


Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Charles Mosimah, MD, MPH, Center for Global Health, Wright State University, Dayton Ohio, Fairborn, OH
Nikki Rogers, PhD, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Wright State University - Boonshoft School of Medicine, Kettering, OH
Linda Smith, MPH, IBCLC, OH
Cristina Redko, PhD, Center for Global Health, Department of Community Health, Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Kettering, OH
background: Non-optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are associated with malnutrition, infant mortality and under-five mortality, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the risk of under-five mortality is 15 times higher than developed countries.

objective: To determine implementation effects of the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding (GSIYCF) before and after World Breastfeeding Trend Initiative (WBTi) tool assessment using infant/child health data collected between 2000 and 2013 in Cameroon.

methods: A descriptive analysis of Cameroon’s policies, programmes and practices was conducted using WBTi tool data. Child survival and nutrition indicators before (2003-2008) and after (2009-2013) WBTi assessment were analyzed using data from the 2009 and 2015 State of the World’s Children statistical tables.

results: Implementation of the GSIYCF improved after WBTi assessment in 2008. Cameroon’s policies and programmes improved more than practices. Under-five and infant mortality rates over the period markedly improved. From 2009 to 2013 there was a 9.4% increase in complementary feeding rates, 14.3% increase in rates of infants still breastfeeding/breastfeeding at age two, and a 6% decrease in undernutrition in children between 0 and 59 months.

conclusion: The findings of this study reflect an increase in IYCF implementation effects on child survival and nutrition indicators after WBTi assessment compared with the prior implementation period. This suggests that use of the WBTi tool helped Cameroon focus on specific childhood preventive health interventions to improve child survival and nutrition indicators in Cameroon. The Ministry of Health should support continued use of the WBTi tool.

Learning Areas:

Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe trends of nutrition indicators and infant mortality/under-five mortality rates in Cameroon between 2000 and 2013. List the authors' proposed reasons for associations between use of the World Breastfeeding Initiative tool and improved infant and child mortality and nutrition indicators in Cameroon.

Keyword(s): Breastfeeding, Mortality

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Involved in all aspects of design, analysis and writing as the principal investigator.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4261.0: Delta Omega Poster Session II