European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

KNOWLEDGE OF MOTHERS ON GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF INFANTS AT SELECTED HOSPITAL

Salima C. P., Betcy K. Jayims*, Soly Thomas and Asha Francis

ABSTRACT

The Objectives of the study were to assess the knowledge of mothers on growth and development of infants, to find the association of knowledge of mothers with selected demographic variables. The study included 60 mothers of Infants who visited outpatient department of selected Hospital, Kollam. Demographic Proforma was used to collect the demographic variables. Self-structured questionnaire on mother’s knowledge regarding growth and development during infancy. 50% of the mothers belongs to the age 20-28yrs, 40% of the mothers belongs to 29 – 37 yrs, 7% of mothers were having 38-45yrs. Majority (93%) of mothers were having (1-2yrs) children and 7% of mothers having (3-4yrs) of children and 3% of them were >45yrs. education of mothers in which 52%,35%, 13% were 5th -12th standard, graduate and post graduate respectively. Majority 95%, non- working mothers and 5% were working mothers. Level of Knowledge among mothers regarding growth and development of infants, in which out of 60 mothers, 47% and 53% were having moderate and good knowledge respectively. The association between the knowledge of mothers with their selected demographic variables, in which there is no association between the mother’s knowledge score with their selected demographic variables such as age, sex, occupation and previous knowledge.

Keywords: Knowledge, mothers, infants, growth, development.