Résumé
Background: Studies have established that growth of children usually falters during the preschool age when the child is usually left in the hands of other care givers; as parents go to work. Feeding of the preschool children is sometimes solely under the care of Day Care Staff (DCS) whose level of knowledge and practice of nutritional care is unknown. Knowledge and practices of nutritional care among DCS in selected preschools were investigated.
Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used and 400 DCS were randomly selected for interview. A validated questionnaire with 50-point knowledge scale was used to collect information from the target population and this was complemented with observational checklist to assess the level of practice of nutritional care and environmental hygiene. Data obtained were analysed using both univariate and bivariate analyses including Chi-square test at p=0.05 level of significance.
Results: Most of the DCS were female (97.5%) and 47.5% specialised in child education. Few (28.8% and 25.0%) of the DCS had ever received training on child nutritional care during pre-service and in-service training, respectively. Only 20.0% of DCS had good knowledge of nutritional care, which reflected in the activities observed. Age was significantly associated with knowledge of preschool nutritional care.
Conclusion: Knowledge of day care staff on nutritional care of preschool children was found to be poorer as the age of staff increases. This may also contribute to the poor practices observed. Training on nutritional care among day care staff, especially the older ones is suggested.
Keywords: Nutritional care; Preschool children; Day care staff
Résumé
Contexte: Des études ont établi que la croissance des enfants trébuche habituellement pendant l’âge préscolaire lorsque l’enfant est habituellement laissé dans les mains d’autres fournisseurs de soins; puisque les parents vont au travail. La nutrition des enfants d’âge préscolaire est parfois uniquement sous la garde du personnel de Soin du Jour (PSJ) dont le niveau de connaissance et la pratique des soins nutritionnels est inconnue. Les connaissances et les pratiques de soin nutritionnel parmi les PSJ dans des écoles maternelles sélectionnées ont été étudiées.
Méthode: Une étude transversale à dessein descriptive a été utilisée et 400 PSJ ont été choisis de manière aléatoire pour interview.Un questionnaire validé avec échelle de connaissance à 50 points a été utilisé pour recueillir des informations auprès de la population cible, et ceci a été complémenté avec une liste de vérification observationnelle pour évaluer le niveau de pratique des soins nutritionnels et d’hygiène environnemental. Les données obtenues ont été analysées en utilisant à la fois les analyses uni-variée et bi-variée, y compris le test du chi-carré à p = 0,05 de niveau de signification.
Résultats: La plupart desPSJ étaient des femmes (97,5%) et 47,5% spécialisée dans l’éducation des enfants. Peu (28,8% et 25,0%) parmi les PSJ avaientau moinsune foireçue une éducation sur les soins nutritionnels des enfantspendant la formation pré-service et la formation continuée, respectivement. Seulement 20,0% des PSJavaient une bonne connaissance des soins nutritionnels, ce qui reflétait dans les activités observées. L’âge était significativement associé à la connaissance dessoins nutritionnels préscolaire.
Conclusion: La connaissance du personnel de soins de jour sur les soins nutritionnels des enfants d’âge préscolaire a été trouvé à être plus pauvres lorsque l’âge du personnel augmente. Ceci peut également contribuer aux mauvaises pratiques observées. La formation sur les soins nutritionnels parmi le personnel des soins de jour, surtout les plus âgés est suggérés.
Mots-clés: soins nutritionnels; enfants d’âge préscolaire; Le personnel des soins de jour
Correspondence: Dr. O.E Oyewole, Department of Health Promotion and Education, Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. E-mail: oyewole2002@yahoo.com
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