Maternal Education and Nutritional Compliance among Mothers of Under-Five in Abeokuta, OgunOgun State: Implications for Social Work Practice

This study investigated the influence of maternal education on nutritional compliance among  mothers  of  under-five  children  in  selected  Hospitals  in  Abeokuta,  Ogun  State. The  study was  a  descriptive  survey  design  carried  out  at  the  Federal Medical  Centre,  Abeokuta;  General hospital, Sokenu-Ijaye - Abeokuta; Sacred Heart Catholic Hospital, Lantoro; Olikoye Ransome Kuti Memorial  Hospital,  Asero  and  General  Hospital,  Odeda.  Three  hundred (300)  mothers  whose children  are  under  five  years  old  were  conveniently  sampled.  Data  was  collected  using  a  self- structured  questionnaire.  The  result  revealed  that  there  was  a  significant  association  between education  and  nutritional  knowledge  (X2  (3)  =  66.76,p<  0.05).  Education  was  also  associated with nutritional compliance behaviour among mothers (X2 (3) = 11.02, p< 0.05) while the level of nutritional  knowledge  was  significantly  associated  with  nutritional  compliance  behaviour  among mothers  (X2  (1)  =  6.76,  p<  0.05).  It  was  concluded  that  nutritional  knowledge  and  education significantly   influence   nutritional compliance   among   mothers   of   under-five   and   necessary recommendations were made. Its implications for social work practice were also discussed.