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1000
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Abstract/Summary
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BACKGROUND: There are many challenges during emergencies to ensure that optimal infant and young child feeding is protected, promoted and supported, but there is a dearth of evidence on strategies and programmes to improve Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E) and a need to determine research priorities. METHODS: Based on interviews with key informants who are experts in the subject, we developed a list of 48 research questions on IYCF-E. A framework, following the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative method to set priorities in child health research, was developed to rank the research questions. Four criteria were applied to create a ranking based on answerability, operational relevance, disease burden reduction and prevention, and originality. Using an on-line survey, prioritisation of research questions was done by 27 people from 14 NGOs, universities and research institutions, and UN organisations. RESULTS: The top-ten research questions identified focused on the following:
• Use of cash-transfer to buy breast-milk substitutes;
• Effectiveness of complementary feeding strategies;
• Long-term effect of IYCF-E interventions;
• Design of IYCF-E programmes in a context where breastfeeding rates are low and breast milk substitutes use is high;
• Design of effective re-lactation interventions;
• Provision of psychological support to young children’s care-takers;
• Determination of number of beneficiaries and coverage of IYCF-E programmes;
• Pros and cons of distributing ready-to-use infant formula compared with distributing powdered infant formula plus kit for safer use of BMS, when use of infant formula is necessary;
• Assessment of the impact of specific IYCF-E programmes on nutritional status, morbidity and mortality;
• Linking and mainstreaming IYCF-E interventions with other sectors such as health, WASH, food security and child protection. CONCLUSION: The questions found by this study could form the basis of future research on IYCF-E and could be integrated into the agenda of relevant stakeholders. Results of studies based on these questions will be fundamental to fill the evidence gap in IYCF-E, improve IYCF-E programming and ultimately contribute to the reduction in morbidity and mortality among infants and young children in humanitarian emergencies.
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