Abstract:
Background: Sunlight has been used for therapeutic purposes such as treating neonatal jaundice,
nappy rash and best known sources to vitamin D which is crucial to the development of bone.
However, the status of sunlight exposure practice and hindering factors is not well known in
Ethiopia, and its district.
Objective: to assess sunlight exposure practice and associated factors among infants in South
Achefer district, North West Ethiopia.
Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted between August 15//2018
October 6, 2018. A stratifying random sampling method was to select 391 mothers with infants
from eight selected Kebeles. The study participants were selected by systematic random
sampling method, based on the sampling frame taken from the health posts from the selected
kebeles. The data were collected by using face to face interview using a structured questionnaire.
Data were entered to the computer using EPI-INFO version 3.5.3 and exported to the SPSS
version 23 software for cleaning and analysis. Descriptive statistics were computed to describe
study objectives. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify
factors associated with sunlight exposure practice. Odd ratio with 95% CI and p- value < 0.05
was used.
Result- A total of 377 mothers with 96% response rate were involved in the study; the majority
84.4% mothers were living in rural and nearly three-fourth (72.2%) of mothers were below
primary education level. Nearly two-third (64.6%) of mothers had poor sunlight exposure
practice to their infants. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, mothers who had
information on sunlight exposure AOR=19.755(10.027, 38.919), and mothers who were not fear
of sunlight exposure AOR=11.869(6.002, 23.472) as a result of sunlight exposure practice
showed a statistical significant association.
Conclusion and recommendation-Mothers poorly practiced the sunlight exposure to their infants
for various reasons. Getting information and fear of sunlight exposure were statistically
significant variables associated with sunlight exposure practice. Therefore, continuous health
education and counseling of mothers about the importance and procedure of sunlight exposure to
their infants is vital to improve the practice in the study area.
Key words: infants, mothers, sunlight therapy practice, associated factors, South Achefer
District, Ethiopia