Knowledge of the Importance of Vitamin A and awareness of its deficiency among Mothers of children under five at the Immunisation Clinic in Eastern India: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is one of the major public health concerns, especially in Africa and South-East Asia, including India.  Growth, vision, immune system performance, and infection resistance all depend on vitamin A underscore its importance in life of growing children.  A mother's lack of knowledge about nutrition raises her child's risk of VAD. Keeping with this aim, we planned to assess knowledge of the importance of vitamin A and its deficiency and determinants in Patna, India.

Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the field practice area of the Department of Community Medicine following approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee, IGIMS, Patna. A total of 255 participants were recruited using sequential sampling. Data were collected using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire.

Results:  Among participants, 301 (96.8%) had heard about Vitamin A, and 196 (63.0%) correctly recognized it as a fat-soluble vitamin. However, only 32 (10.3%) knew the correct age (9 months) for the first dose, while 172 (55.3%) were aware of the six-monthly supplementation schedule. Awareness of night blindness was high, 259 (83.3%), whereas knowledge of Bitot’s spots remained low, 40 (13.0%). Health workers were the main information source for 269 (87.3%). Maternal education (χ² = 47.62, p < 0.001) and family income (χ² = 26.74, p = 0.001) showed significant association with knowledge levels.

Conclusion: Although overall awareness regarding Vitamin A was high, important knowledge gaps persist. Educational status and socioeconomic factors significantly influenced understanding, highlighting the need for strengthened health education during immunisation services.