Manahiri, Joyce2019-12-042020-01-072019-12-042020-01-072007Manahiri, J. (2007) Tile Relationship between some demographic and socio economic characteristics of mother and under five health status: the case study of Ngara district, Tanzania, Master dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaamhttp://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/2962Available in print form, East Africana Collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library, Class mark (THS EAF RA440.5.T34M36)This study aims at establishing whether or not less than five health statuses in Ngara district is related to some socio-economic and demographic characteristics of mother. Data obtained through mother's interviews are a basis of die findings of the investigation. Interview schedule was the main instrument used to get information from 200 mothers aged 15-49 years with one under five children. The youngest child among the under five children born to one mother was obtained for the research, making a total of 200 under five children who were studied. Other instruments used were documentary sources and observation. The investigation took place from September to October 2005. The need for doing this research arose from the fact that despite all efforts done by the government in collaboration with International agencies in improving health status of its people, the burden of diseases is still a problem in the country. Under five illnesses contribute to a significant proportion of the country disease trouble. In view of the fact that mother's characteristics are thought to be important in the improvement of under five health status, some of them were thus considered in the analysis. These are: mother's education, occupation, residence, age, marital status, number of surviving children, breastfeeding (aequency, duration and exclusive breastfeeding) and frequency of feeding. The main objective of the research was to examine the relationship between these characteristics and under five health status in the district. From the analysis, mother's education, occupation, residence, duration and frequency of breastfeeding were found to have significant relationship with incidence of diarrhoea/malaria/fever as an indicator of under five health status. Incidence of these diseases decreases with an increase in mother's education. Children born to mothers with white collar jobs had low incidence of diseases followed by petty business, then peasant mothers with highest prevalence of all. Rural areas were found to have high prevalence compared to urban areas. On the other hand, mother's age, marital status, number of surviving children exclusive breastfeeding and frequency of feeding were found not to be related with episode of diarrhoea/malaria/fever. Based on the findings it is recommended that: the Government and community should put more effort on educating women and empower them not only in urban but also in rural residence;husbands should give their wives more time for child care and resting than that spent on other activities; peasant mothers should organize themselves in groups and ask for loans from various financial institutions for investment; government should put more effort in improving social services in rural areas; mothers who perform white collar jobs should utilize fully the time when they are with their babies (especially during the night) in breastfeeding them; and the eminent and NGOs should extend time for maternity leave. It is also that this research should be replicated by using reasonable sample so as get better results.enMedical careHealth services administrationMother and ChildFamily demographyChild health servicesMartenal health servicesThesis