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Knowledge
and Practices of Mothers’ regarding
Weaning of Children and their Relation
with Socioeconomic Variables in
Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia
Gamiyaha Salman
M. Al-Qahtani1; Mohammad Abdullah
S. Garnan2;
Shahira Salman M. Al-Qahtani3; Maliha
Salman M. Al-Qahtani4; Ahmed Ali
A. Hamoud5; Fatmah Mohamed A. Alahmari1;
Dhama Hussein A. Abdullah Faraj1;
Kreemah Odah Yahya Al Ahmary1; Ghadi
M. Ayed Asiri6; Abdullah Mohammed
Qahtani7; Turki Ali Alyami8; Ahmed
Eidhah S. Al Dogman9, and Mesfer
Obadi Mana Alrizq10
1. Med secretary Technician, General
Directorate of Health, Aseer Region,
Saudi Arabia
2. Deputy of General Director’s
Assistant for Public Health, Aseer
Region, Saudi Arabia
3. Nursing technician, Khamis General
Hospital, Saudi Arabia
4. Nursing specialist, Khamis General
Hospital, Saudi Arabia
5. Specialist, Health Services and
Hospitals Management, General Directorate
of Health, Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia
6. Nurse specialist, Abha Maternity
and Children Hospital, Saudi Arabia
7. Preventive Health Technician,
Preventive Medicine Department,
Armed Forces Hospital, Southern
Region, Saudi Arabia
8. Dental hygienist, New Najran
General Hospital, Saudi Arabia
9. Laboratory Specialist, Khobash
General Hospital, Najran City, Saudi
Arabia
10. Pharmacy Technician, Thar General
Hospital, Najran City, Saudi Arabia
Corresponding Author
Ghamiyah Salman Mohammed
Email:
Ghamiyaha@moh.gov.sa
Received: November 2023. Accepted:
November 2023; Published: December
1, 2023.Citation: Gamiyaha Salman
M. Al-Qahtani et al. Knowledge and
Practices of Mothers’ regarding
Weaning of Children and their Relation
with Socioeconomic Variables in
Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia. World
Family Medicine. December 2023;
21(11): 53-62. DOI: 10.5742/MEWFM.2023.95256231
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Abstract
Background: Weaning
refers to transitioning an
infant’s diet from breast
milk or formula to other
foods and fluids. When the
infant stops receiving breast
milk, it is considered fully
weaned.
Aims:
To assess the knowledge, and
practices of mothers on child
weaning in the Aseer region.
Methods:
A cross-sectional descriptive
study was conducted among
189 mothers in Aseer Region,
using a self-administered
online questionnaire.
Results:
Nearly two-thirds of the
participants were aware of
the terms: weaning, diet,
or complementary food (65.1%).
Most of the participants (87.3%)
knew the nutritional requirements
for weaning their infants.
There was a non-significant
relationship between knowledge
of mothers and their sociodemographic
characteristics (e.g., their
level of education, and socioeconomic
condition). More than two-thirds
of theparticipants (71.4%)
preferred breastfeeding their
children associated with semi-solid
food during the 6– 9-month
period. The majority of the
participants (74.6%) initiated
weaning with thin-consistency
food. There was a significant
relationship between the reason
for supplementary feeding
before six months and mothers’
socioeconomic condition (P
<0.05).
Conclusions:
Mothers’ knowledge and
practices were good. There
were no significant relationships
between mothers’ knowledge
level with weaning and socioeconomic
characteristics. There was
a significant relationship
between the reason for supplementary
feeding before six months
and the socioeconomic condition.
Keywords:
Knowledge, practice, mothers,
weaning, Aseer region, Saudi
Arabia.
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