Fathers' Involvement in Child Care Practices to Improve Stunting among Under-five Children in Sumbawanga Rural District, Rukwa Tanzania

Abstract Introduction Male involvement in childcare practices is crucial in shaping a child’s health outcomes. Recognising that aspect of father’s involvement can be applied as a method against stunting since it has been a public health concern for years. This study intends to describe how paternal involvement can serve as a prevention strategy to address stunting among under-five children in the Rukwa region. Methods A cross-sectional study design was conducted in Sumbawanga Rural District. This study used A multistage clustering sampling to obtain 359 father-child pairs. A questionnaire was used to collect data. Height and age measurements were standardised to WHO height for age Z-scores to determine stunting status among under-five children. Data were analysed by using STATA software, and descriptive statistics and bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted. Results The magnitude of fathers’ involvement in childcare practices was 43.8%. According to this study, fathers had moderate knowledge about children stunting, and the proportion of stunting among under-five children was 55%. Factors associated with stunting were male involvement and fathers' knowledge, while fathers with moderate knowledge and those who were highly involved in childcare were 46% and 52% less likely to have children with stunting compared to those with low knowledge of stunting (Adjusted OR=0.54; 95% CI [0.22- 0.87]; p-value= 0.046) and those who were less involved (Adjusted OR=0.48; 95% CI [0.26 - 0.92)]; p-value= 0.048) respectively. Conclusion This study suggests that increasing fathers' involvement in childcare practices may help address under-five stunting. The study underscores the significance of encouraging fathers to be engaged in childcare activities and educating them about stunting, which could potentially contribute to reducing the prevalence of stunting among under-five children.