Maternal knowledge and preventive practices for iron-deficiency anemia in primary health care in the Peruvian Amazon
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51252/rsayb.v5i1.1298Keywords:
complementary feeding, child care, dietary iron, micronutrient supplementation, nutritional counselingAbstract
Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) remains a major public health problem in childhood, and its prevention largely depends on maternal knowledge and practices. The study aimed to determine the relationship between knowledge level and preventive practices regarding IDA in mothers of children under five years treated at the Punta del Este Health Center during 2025. An analytical, cross-sectional, and prospective study was conducted among 169 mothers surveyed with a validated questionnaire assessing knowledge and preventive behaviors. A total of 55.0 % had average knowledge, 25.5 % poor, and 19.5 % good; 83.4 % reported adequate preventive practices. In multivariate analysis, mothers with good (aPR: 1.35; 95 % CI: 1.03–1.75; p = 0.027) and average knowledge (aPR: 1.47; 95 % CI: 1.17–1.86; p = 0.001) were more likely to have adequate practices compared to those with poor knowledge. It was concluded that greater maternal knowledge is associated with better preventive practices against iron-deficiency anemia, highlighting the need to strengthen education and nutritional counseling at the primary care level.
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