Evaluating Growth Charts Use among Children Less Than Five Years of Age at Primary Health Care Centers in Al-Hillah City

Abstract

The study was conducted at two primary health care centers in Al Hilla city which covered Al Gameyah
primary health care center and Al Kawthar primary health care center for the purpose of evaluating the use
of growth chart and to determine mothers understanding toward the meaning of the weight chart in terms of
growth. All registered children aged 0-5 years who were living in areas served by the above two mentioned
primary health centers were included. The following results may be drawn on the objectives of the study.
The proportion of registered children who possessed a chart was very high (99.8%). The proportion of
registered children who acquired a chart at birth was high too (99.6%). It is of interest to find that the date
of birth of (99.6%) of children was registered and the weight at birth of (99.2%) of them was known too. It
was found that only (90%) of study population had their weight charted on the curve of growth charts. The
study showed that no children of both sexes were attending regularly to have their weight charted in most
months of the year. The study generally depicted that the level of immunization of the children in study area
was remarkable and high.