Growth monitoring service utilization and its associated factors among mothers of children less than 2 years in Muhir Aklil district, Gurage zone, Southern Ethiopia, 2020

INTRODUCTION: United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund recommends a 100% growth monitoring and promotion coverage, but the prevalence of growth monitoring and promotion service utilization rate in Ethiopia is only 16.9%. Even though Ethiopia is attempting different strategies to cope up with this low rate, the problem is still unresolved. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of growth monitoring service utilization and its associated factors among mothers of children less than 2 years in Muhir Aklil district. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 443 study participants from 10 February to 8 March 2020. The study participants in the study were selected using simple random sampling technique. The collected data were entered in to EpiData3.1 and exported to SPSS version 23. Bivariate and multi-variable logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with growth monitoring service utilization. Statistically significance was declared at p value < 0.05% and 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: In this study, the overall growth monitoring and service utilization was 32.9%. Fully empowered mothers adjusted odds ratio: 2.7, 95% confidence interval: 1.5–4.3), receiving counseling (adjusted odds ratio: 2.8; 95% confidence interval: 2.0–4.7) and regularly participating on community conversation (adjusted odds ratio: 2.8, 95% confidence interval: 1.8–7.6) were significantly associated with growth monitoring service utilization. CONCLUSION: Growth monitoring services utilization was 32.9%. Maternal empowerment on decision-making, engaging women on financial control, knowledge of mothers receiving counseling and regularly participating on community conversation were the independent factors for growth monitoring service utilization. The health extension workers should strengthen maternal empowerment and community conversation through increasing maternal awareness.