The Impact of Exclusive Breastfeeding on Infant Morbidity in the First Six Months of Infant s life in Nablus s Refugee Camps

Throughout infancy it is important to receive the appropriate and the adequate nutrition, to ensure the utmost extreme biological growth and mental development for the child. Worldwide, many studies on infants provided evidences that breastfeeding is the ideal method; it can decrease the incidence and severity of many infectious conditions, such studies in our country are lacking. This study aimed to explore the effects of the different infant feeding patterns on infant s morbidity in the first six months of age in Nablus refugee camps (Balata, Askar, and Ein Beit el Ma). The research also aimed to explore the relationship between selected mother s and infant socio demographic factors, and the choice for the infant's patterns of feeding during the first six months of life in Nablus refugee camps. The study was cross-sectional retrospective analytical survey, included 690 files of infant\mother pair s, born in 2007, reside in Nablus refugee camps, and receive health care in one of three UNRWA's clinics in Nablus refugee camps. Secondary data obtained from infants clinical files, then analyzed by SPSS program, version 11; frequencies and percentages, Pearson Chi-square, and multiple logistic regression methods were used. The study results indicated; that percentage of Excusive Breastfeeding (EBF) for the first six months of life was 70%, whereas Partial Breastfeeding (PBF) was 16%, and Exclusive Formula Feeding (EFF) was 14%. Which reflected the good efforts regarding promoting exclusive breastfeeding in the UNRWA's clinics. Mother and infant socio demographic factors (mothers aged 22-28 years old, mother aged 15-22 years olds at marriage, mother aged 22-28 years old at delivery, those with high parity >4, mothers with basic and secondary level of education, not educated fathers, vaginal delivery, and female infants) were positively related to EBF significantly at 0.05..On the other hand, EBF in the first six months of infant s life was negatively related to mothers aged > 36 years old, mother aged > 29 years olds at marriage, mother aged > 36 years old at delivery, and those with low parity 1-2, high educated mothers and fathers, cesarean delivery, and male infants. This study confirmed that exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life protects against, lower respiratory tract infection, otitis media, gastroenteritis, diarrhea, wheezing, and allergies. The effect of protection continued to be statistically significant (except for diarrhea) even after adjusting for mother and infant socio demographic factors. In conclusion, this study confirms that type of infant feeding in the first six months of infant's life is affected by mothers and infant's socio demographic variables. And that exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life is important element in preventing and decreasing many diseases during the same period of age. The study results recommend that health agencies must give more concern for breastfeeding in general and exclusive breastfeeding in particular, especially during planning for fighting against infectious diseases. Further studies regarding this subject must be conducted within the Palestinian health agencies.