(P17-029-23) Integrated Child Nutrition, Parenting, and Health Intervention in Rural Liberia: A Mixed-Methods Feasibility Study

Objectives: The study objectives were to 1) determine how the home environment, responsive caregiver-child interactions, diet, and infection control practices are experienced by caregivers of children 6-36 months of age and 2) assess the feasibility of the integrated parenting, nutrition, and health intervention among caregivers and intervention facilitators.

Methods: Thirty female caregiver-child dyads were randomly selected from two communities in Liberia. For four weeks, participants received fortnightly group parenting sessions and weekly eggs and fish designated for child consumption. Trained community health workers delivered the intervention. Assessments were conducted before and after the intervention using quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. At baseline, we examined the home environment, caregiver-child interactions, diet, and infection control practices. At end-line, we assessed the feasibility of the intervention. Descriptive analyses were conducted with quantitative data. Qualitative data were analyzed using a conventional content analysis. 

Results: Baseline qualitative and quantitative data indicated inadequate responsive parenting and early learning opportunities, high use of violent discipline, food insecurity, and child morbidity (i.e., 30% of children experienced diarrhea in the past two weeks, 56.7% fever, and 53.3% cough). Mixed methods indicators of feasibility, including acceptability, adoption, and fidelity, were high. Qualitative data from this feasibility study informed several future modifications to the program, including engaging fathers, supplementing group sessions with home visits, and broadening facilitator eligibility. 

Conclusions: This integrated intervention is feasible and can be incorporated into an existing health program to support early child development.

Funding Sources: Funding for the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript was provided by an Advanced Support for Innovative Research Excellence I grant from the University of South Carolina and the US Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (1 T1CMC35361-01-00).