Assessment of Mother’s Knowledge on Malnutrition among Under-Five Children in selected Rural Areas: A Descriptive Survey

The causes of childhood malnutrition are diverse, multidimensional, and interrelated. An analytical framework suggested by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) categorizes the causes into (a) immediate causes: inadequate dietary intake and illness, (b) underlying causes: insufficient access to food in a household; inadequate health services and unhealthy environment; and inadequate care for children and women at the household level, and (c) basic causes: insufficient current and potential resources at societal level. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported hunger and related malnutrition as the greatest single threat to the world's public health. So, this study aim is to find out mother’s knowledge on malnutrition can help to improve the conditions related to malnutrition among the children as to improve the health status. In this study Quantitative research approach applied. In the present study an descriptive research design used. The research variable in the present study Mother’s knowledge. The research areas for the research study were 10 selected rural areas of himachal pradesh. The population comprises of under-five children and their mothers from rural areas of himachal pradesh who fulfills the inclusion criteria. Under-five children and their mothers residing in selected rural areas of himachal pradesh. The sample of study was under five children and their mother. In this study purposive sampling technique used. Study shows that 24% mothers had average knowledge, 76% had poor level of knowledge and 0 % mothers had good level of knowledge.