Factors Affecting Development of Children Aged 3-5 Years in Muangphrai Primary Care Unit, Selaphum District, Roi-Et Province, Thailand

Abstract

This cross sectional research was intended to study about the situation of child development and to investigate the factors affecting development of children aged 3-5 years in Muangphrai Primary Care Unit Selaphum District Roi-et Province from the 210 participants in 2 sub-districts, Municipal of Muangphrai Sub-district and Local Administration of Bungklua Sub-district. Collecting data in December 2009, the questionnaire was developed by the researcher and based on the standard and goals of maternal and child health care, using the assessment of child development Anamai ’49 that developed by the Department of Health to assess the child development. The independent variables in this research were the variables of socio demographic, the variables of birth, nutrition, medical history, and the variables of developmental environment of the children. The dependent variable was child development (2 levels, normal and delayed). 58.1% (122/210) of children had normal development, and 41.9 percent (88/210) had delayed development. The data were analyzed by multiple logistic regression analysis. Independent variables associated with delayed development were age (P = 0.043), child order (P<0.001), received the quality of antenatal care (P = 0.011), delivery process (P = 0.033), breastfeeding (p = 0.022), supplementary nourishment (P = 0.047), exposure to diseases affecting child development (P = 0.004), opportunities encouraging child development (P = 0.013), sanitary drinking water (P = 0.001), and hygiene learning and health behavior (P = 0.001). Based on study results, the main recommendations include: (1) Families and communities should provide the service of antenatal care cover all pregnant women by the standard of the quality of antenatal care process. (2) Plan to encourage all breastfeeding mothers to provide their children the breastfeedmg at least the first six months and to support supplementary nourishment to their children appropriately by age. (3) The communities should provide the sanitary drinking water for their children or their people by improve the water supplies to be sanitary to drink. And (4) To promote on personal hygiene for children and their families and for all communities.