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Senegalese Grandmothers Promote Improved Maternal and Child Nutrition Practices: The Guardians of Tradition Are Not Averse to Change

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Senegalese Grandmothers Promote Improved Maternal and Child Nutrition Practices: The Guardians of Tradition Are Not Averse to Change
Author(s)Aubel, Judi; Toure, Ibrahima; Diagne, Mamadou
AbstractIn Senegal, as in many other places, older, experienced women play an influential role in household maternal and child health (MCH) matters. Formative research in Serer villages revealed their importance and this was taken into account in an action research nutrition education (NE) project in which grandmothers were encouraged to promote improved nutritional practices related to pregnancy (e.g. decreased work and improved diet) and infant feeding. A participatory communication/empowerment education approach was used involving songs, stories and group discussion. Results suggest that 12 months after the intervention was initiated there were significant improvements in grandmothers’ nutritional knowledge and in the nutrition-related practices of these younger women associated both with pregnancy and infant feeding. These results support the need for future MCH programs, in different cultural contexts, to involve grandmothers and in so doing to build on their intrinsic commitment to family well-being.
IssueNo5
Pages945-959
ArticleAccess to Article
SourceSocial Science & Medicine
VolumeNo59
PubDateSeptember 2004
ISBN_ISSN0277-9536


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