Knowledge, availability and utilization of growth monitoring facilities in urban and rural health facilities in Enugu State, South East Nigeria: A survey of nursing mothers

Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) has one of the highest rates of child mortality compared to the rest of the world’s regions. The usefulness of growth monitoring cuts across all areas of pediatric care and remains the pivot for prevention of childhood diseases and prevention untoward mortality. This study therefore aimed at determining the availability of growth monitoring facilities, and knowledge and utilization of such facilities among mothers attending rural and urban health facilities in Enugu state. This was a cross sectional descriptive survey of mothers done in selected urban and rural government health facilities using the multi-stage sampling method. Data obtained were analyzed using SPSS version 21.0. Conclusions were drawn at a level of significance, p<0.05 at 95% Confidence interval. A total of 440 mothers were recruited for the study; 330 (75%) were from urban and 110 (25%) from rural locations. Mothers in urban centers exhibited higher knowledge (84%, VHL) of growth monitoring facilities than those in rural areas, p=0.04. Growth monitoring facilities were more available in urban areas compared to rural areas, p<0.01. However, growth monitoring facilities were more utilized by mothers in rural areas than in urban locations. Although GM facilities were more available in urban health centers in Enugu state. These facilities were less utilized especially in the urban areas even though mothers demonstrated were very knowledge about these facilities.