Perceptions of usage and unintended consequences of provision of ready-to-use therapeutic food for management of severe acute child malnutrition. A qualitative study in Southern Ethiopia

Health Policy and Planning
Elazar TadesseEva-Charlotte Ekström

Abstract

Severe acute child malnutrition (SAM) is associated with high risk of mortality. To increase programme effectiveness in management of SAM, community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) programme that treats SAM using ready-to-use-therapeutic foods (RUTF) has been scaled-up and integrated into existing government health systems. The study aimed to examine caregivers' and health workers perceptions of usages of RUTF in a chronically food insecure area in South Ethiopia. This qualitative study recorded, transcribed and translated focus group discussions and individual interviews with caregivers of SAM children and community health workers (CHWs). Data were complemented with field notes before qualitative content analysis was applied. RUTF was perceived and used as an effective treatment of SAM; however, caregivers also see it as food to be shared and when necessary a commodity to be sold for collective benefits for the household. Caregivers expected prolonged provision of RUTF to contribute to household resources, while the programme guidelines prescribed RUTF as a short-term treatment to an acute condition in a child. To get prolonged access to RUTF caregivers altered the identities of SAM children and sought multiple a...Continue Reading

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Citations

Apr 12, 2017·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Alessandra N BazzanoJohn B Mason
Nov 16, 2017·The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society·F B Zotor, P Amuna

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