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Food Supplements To Reduce Stunting In Pakistan: A Process Evaluation Of Community Dynamics Shaping Uptake, Shehla Zaidi, Jai K. Das, Gul Nawaz Khan, Rabia Najmi Taha, Mashal Murad Shah, Sajid Bashir Soofi

Community Health Sciences

Background: There is an increasing interest in use of food supplements to prevent childhood stunting, however the evidence on the process indicators is scarce. We in this study explore the barriers to the effective implementation of food supplementation programs and the possible mitigation strategies which can guide the design of future programs.
Methods: We undertook a process evaluation of a stunting prevention food supplementation pilot program in rural Pakistan that distributed Wheat Soy Blend (WSB) to pregnant & lactating women, and Lipid-based Nutrient Supplement (LNS) and micronutrient powder (MNP) to < 5 years children. We used a mixed methods approach through a quantitative survey of 800 households and conducted 18 focused group discussion (FGDs) (with male and female caregivers), 4 FGDs (with Community Health Workers (CHWs)) and 22 key informant interviews (with district stakeholders) to evaluate the community side factors affecting uptake through five parameters: value, acceptability, receipt of supplement, usage and correct dosage.
Results: The findings show that proportionately few beneficiaries consumed the …