Abstract:
Introduction: The main purpose of growth monitoring is to prevent growth faltering and under nutrition. It helps to recognizing growth patterns of children needing special attention (like low birth weight, TB, HIV/AIDS). Gaps observed on growth monitoring practice among health workers made it fundamental to study growth monitoring practice and associated factors for designing and implementing effective interventions. Objective: This study aimed to assess practice of the growth monitoring and associated factors among health workers in north Gondar zone public health facility. Method: An institutional based cross sectional quantitative and qualitative mixed study . Multi-stage sampling was used. A structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data while non-participant observation and in-depth interview were used to generate qualitative information. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were done. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was estimated to identify predictors of growth monitoring practice using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Result: In this study growth monitoring practice was 50.4% [95% CI: 45, 54] in north Gondar zone. Work experience who had greater than 11 years(AOR= 4.27(95% CI:1.70,10.72], availability of growth monitoring equipment (AOR=1.52(95%CI:1.05,2.20]and good attitude [AOR=0.68(95%CI:0.47,0.98]were significantly associated with growth monitoring practice. Lack of training, low motivation or commitment among health workers and low community participation were mentioned among the problems faced during growth monitoring practice. Conclusion: The growth monitoring practice activity is still functioning in most areas studied. Maintain good attitude of health workers, supplying logistics and mobilize the community is recommended.