:: Volume 26, Issue 1 (5-2018) ::
Journal of Ilam University of Medical Sciences 2018, 26(1): 176-186 Back to browse issues page
Eficacy of Peer Support on Growth Patterns of Infants below One Year Old
Shahnaz Tork Zahrani1 , Alireza Akbar Zadhe2 , Hashemieh Chehreh3 , Monireh Nahal4
1- Dept of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Shaheed Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
2- Dept of Biostatistics, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Shaheed Beheshti University, Ilam, Iran
3- Student Research Commitee, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Shaheed Beheshti University, Ilam, Iran
4- Dept of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract:   (4390 Views)

Introduction: The nutritional status along with physical and mental development of infants is an effective factor on children’s health  throughout the life. Various strategies have, so far, been used to achieve optimal infant growth.  Using  non-professional support is one of these methods . This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of peer support on the growth patterns of infants aged below one year old.
 
Materials & Methods: In this clinical trial, 240 primiparous women were randomly divided into two experimental and control groups. The control group received standard education and the experimental group was, besides receiving the same education,  supported by 30 breast feeding consultants (women with successful breastfeeding records) during the 6 months of  postpartum. The infants’ growth and developmental patterns were evaluated at the end of 1,2,4,6 and 12 months, respectively. This clinical trial was carried out in all the maternity hospitals and health centers of Ilam city (western Iran) during July 2010 to April 2012. Data were collected using a questionnaire and then analyzed using SPSS software version 16 and statistical tests including mean, percentage, Chi square test, Fisher test.
 
Findings: At 1, 2, 4.6 and 12 months of our reaerch, the two groups demonstrated a significant difference in terms of accommodation with the standard curve of weight gain, (P=0.001). The mean heights in both the groups was significantly different at 2, 12 months(P=0.001). The mean of head circumferences in the groups did not show any differences significantlym, (P>0.05).
 
Discusion & Conclusion: Our investigation came to the ocnclusion that besides encouraging mothers to continue lactation, peer support can be effective in promoting the growth and developmental patterns of children.

Keywords: lactation, peer support, growth and development, infant
Full-Text [PDF 801 kb]   (1333 Downloads)    
Type of Study: Research |
Received: 2015/10/12 | Accepted: 2016/11/26 | Published: 2018/05/23



XML   Persian Abstract   Print



Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Volume 26, Issue 1 (5-2018) Back to browse issues page