Mothers attitudes toward non-nutritive (pacifier)‎ sucking habits in their children

Abstract EN

Objectives : The main objective of the present study is to ases the mother’s atitude toward pacifier habits in their children.

Methods : A cros-sectional descriptive study was caried out in primary health care center in Chera- suburban Shekhon Sector in Musil Governorate / Iraq from 30 / November / 201 to 1 / May / 2012.

A convenience sample of 210 mothers with their children under the age of five years old was selected.

Data were colected by the mothers' interview and analyzed by using the programmed through the aplication descriptive statistical frequency and percentage and inferential statistical analysis by Chi-square Test.

Results : The present study shows that the majority of mother’s age were betwen (21-30) years old, most of them were housewives with low educational evel .High prevalence using pacifier in this study and majority of themlku (64.4 %, 123) were using pacifier for geting quite sleping to their children.

There were highly significant asociation betwen (mother`s educational level, socio-economical status) with mother’s intervention used to stop sucking of pacifier at p–value ≤ 0.01.

Conclusion : Sucking habits had a high prevalence by mothers in this study.

Recommendation : The study recommends to provide information about safe and apropriate use of pacifiers with guidance in al primary health care centers to increase parents’ awarenes toward pacifier.