Acceptance and Compliance With Micronutrient Powder and Complementary Food Blend Use by Filipino Mothers and Their Promotion by Community Workers

Background:Despite the nationwide micronutrient powder (MNP) supplementation, the Philippines only saw limited success in reducing the prevalence of anemia—a condition that has remained a public health concern among young children.Objective:To assess and explore the acceptability and compliance to MNP and Bigas-Mongo (BigMo) complementary food blend among mothers/caregivers of children aged 6 to 23 months and the promotion of these products by community health workers (CHWs).Methods:This study was part of the randomized controlled trial involving 3 methods of data collection: (1) bimonthly visits to mothers and caregivers for 6 months to determine the level of acceptability and compliance of the 4 intervention groups; (2) initial and final interviews with mothers/caregivers (initial = 141; final = 130) to gather their experiences and difficulties in MNP and BigMo preparation and feeding; and (3) focus group discussion (n = 4) among CHWs (n = 13) to understand their perceptions and difficulties in promotin...