Peer-reviewed article
Support for infant and young child feeding and care in emergencies: experiences from Australia and eleven other high-income countries
Karleen D. Gribble, Alexandra Shanks, Michelle Hamrosi ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined how twelve high-income countries support infant and young child feeding and care during emergencies. Researchers interviewed 59 emergency responders across Australia, Canada, Croatia, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and the USA. They found consistent challenges including lack of planning and prioritisation for infants and young children, inadequate knowledge about infant feeding in emergencies, and inappropriate infant formula donations. Successful strategies varied by country but included staff training, community support, and tailored evacuation centre services.
Key points
- All countries studied showed lack of prioritisation, planning and data collection regarding infants and young children in emergency response
- Challenges included insufficient knowledge and planning for infant and young child feeding in emergencies and unwanted donations of infant formula
- Successful interventions included training emergency staff and volunteers, involving government agencies and UNICEF, and collaboration between health and emergency organisations
- Countries implemented variable strategies such as tailored evacuation centre support and support for responsive caregiving
- Family resilience was promoted through interventions at both individual and community levels
Limitations
This study captures the experiences and perspectives of emergency responders in high-income countries only, and does not assess actual outcomes for infants and young children during emergencies or compare effectiveness of different approaches.
Abstract
Introduction: In 2010, the World Health Assembly urged all member states, including those of high income, to implement disaster plans in line with the Operational Guidance for Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (OG-IFE). However, analyses of infant and young child feeding in emergencies (IYCF-E) planning across Europe, the United States of America (USA) and Australia have indicated a lack of such planning. This study aimed to identify challenges, lessons and solutions in infant and young child feeding and care in disasters in high-income countries to inform improved emergency planning in Australia and other high-resource settings. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 39 emergency responders from Australia and 20 emergency responders from Canada, Croatia, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and the USA. Data was collected on the challenges of providing emergency response to infants and young children and their caregivers, as well as successful interventions and facilitators of intervention uptake. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and then analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Through the analysis process, the OG-IFE and the World Health Organization's nurturing care in emergencies brief assisted understanding regarding challenges, gaps and response appropriateness. Results: Challenges to support infants and young children in emergencies were consistent between countries and involved lack of prioritisation, planning, and data collection regarding infants and young children; lack of planning, knowledge and appropriate support for IYCF-E; and the donation of infant formula. Interventions to support mothers and caregivers of infants and young children were more variable between countries and included making support needs and gaps visible, providing tailored evacuation centre support, implementation of IYCF-E interventions, and supporting responsive caregiving. Intervention uptake was facilitated via training staff and volunteers, support of community members, involvement of government agencies and UNICEF, and collaboration between health agencies and emergency organisations. Family resilience was promoted at individual and community levels. Conclusion: Infants and young children are vulnerable in emergencies globally. This research has identified challenges and a range of strategies to strengthen disaster planning in high-income countries, including the appropriate development and implementation of IYCF-E plans aligned with the OG-IFE.