Peer-reviewed article
Factors associated with fathers' involvement in infant and young child feeding and nurturing care in the urban slums of Bangladesh: A cross‐sectional study
Dipika Shankar Bhattacharyya, Tonmoy Sarker, Nargis Akter, Sohana Shafique, Mohammad Hayatun Nabi et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined fathers' involvement in infant and young child feeding and care in urban slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh, surveying 361 mothers with children under 24 months. Fathers' education level and occupation were the strongest factors associated with their involvement, with more educated fathers and those in certain occupations being more involved. Fathers were also more involved with their first child, and involvement was associated with the child's age (14-20 months) and the mother's age and education. The research highlights that fathers' involvement in feeding and nurturing practices depends on multiple context-specific factors in low-income urban settings.
Key points
- Fathers with higher education were nearly 4 times more likely to be involved in infant and young child feeding practices (aOR = 3.98)
- Certain occupational statuses were associated with reduced involvement, with the odds of good involvement 0.34 times lower in some occupational groups (aOR = 0.34)
- Fathers were nearly 2 times more likely to be involved with their first child compared to subsequent children (aOR = 1.99)
- Children aged 14-20 months had fathers who were 2.73 times more likely to be involved compared to other age groups
- Mothers aged 21-30 years had partners 2.34 times more likely to be involved in feeding and nurturing care
Limitations
The study is cross-sectional, so it cannot establish causality between fathers' involvement and child outcomes. The research relies on mothers' reports of fathers' involvement, which may introduce reporting bias despite efforts to minimize social desirability bias.
Abstract
Abstract Optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) and nurturing care during the first years of children's lives are crucial for ensuring their growth and development. The IYCF and nurturing practices are associated with a multifaceted interplay of context‐specific factors where fathers' involvement is necessary. The aim of this study is to explore the current scenario of fathers' involvement in IYCF practices in the urban slums of Bangladesh. A cross‐sectional survey among the residents of the Sat Tola slum in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh was conducted. To avoid social desirability bias, 361 mothers of children aged <24 months were interviewed regarding fathers' involvement. An operational definition of father's involvement was developed based on 11 criteria and then scoring was applied to classify ‘Good Involvement’ and associated factors were identified using multivariable logistic regression. Fathers' mean age was around 31 (SD ± 6.09) years and the majority of them (44.32%) completed primary education. Fathers had diversified occupations such as day laborer (32.41%), garment worker (22.71%), and business (14.96%). Factors that were significantly associated with the father's involvement in IYCF practices include educational status (aOR = 3.98, 95% CI = 1.91, 8.26, p < .00) and theiroccupational status (aOR = 0.34, 95% CI = 0.16, 0.70, p = .00). Fathers were more active for their first child (aOR: 1.99, 95% CI = 1.04, 3.79, p = .03). Having child in the age group of 14–20 months (aOR = 2.73, 95% CI = 1.32, 5.64, p = <.01) and wife in the age group of 21–30 years (aOR = 2.34, 95% CI = 1.20, 4.58, p = .01) were significantly associated. The study finding explored that fathers' education and occupation as well as mothers' age and education were significantly associated factors for fathers' involvement in the IYCF practices. Further longitudinal studies are recommended to establish the causal relationship between fathers' involvement with IYCF and their impact on child growth and development.