The growth chart - Its use and perception among mothers visiting primary health care centers of Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia

Objective:To study the utilization and perception of the growth chart among mothers of children under 5 years of age. Design: A review of records to analyze the extent of utilization of the under 5 clinic for growth monitoring activity. Perception of the growth chart among mothers through a questionnaire, Setting: Three primary health centers in Al-Khobar. Results: A large proportion of the under-5's from the catchment areas of health centers A (65.6) and B (70.5%) had attended the clinic for preventive health activities but their regularity of visits for growth monitoring declined markedly after the age of one year. A majority of the mothers (85%) attended the under-5 clinic during the study period for immunization while only 14% had visited solely for monitoring growth. Less than half (47.3%) of them recognized the growth curves (75.5%) and symbols for breast feeding (36.9%), weaning (41.1%) and child spacing (96.4%). Comprehension of these features of the growth chart improved with rising literacy levels and longer duration of attendance (> 1 year) to the clinic. Only 15.8% mothers reported that they had acquired information on the growth chart in the past. Conclusions: The need to get involved in the growth monitoring activity with the guidance of appropriate health center staff is recommended to promote self-reliance in mothers for child care. The authors also suggest the use of a simpler home-based growth chart than the one in current use in Saudi Arabia.