Conference Abstract | Volume 8, Abstract NACNDC/19JASH0016 (Oral) | Published: 18 Nov 2025
1Makerere University, School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
&Corresponding author: Ritah Katusiime, Makerere University_ School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda, Email: ritahtreasure@gmail.com ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6999-0518
Received: 11 Sep 2025, Accepted: 20 Oct 2025, Published: 18 Nov 2025
Domain: Maternal and Child Health
Keywords: Early, breastfeeding, cessation; Katanga, slum
©Ritah Katusiime et al. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Ritah Katusiime et al., Early breastfeeding cessation and influencing factors among mothers of 2–3-year-old children in Katanga Slum of Kampala, Uganda: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2025;8(ConfProc6):00016. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO6-000016
The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF recommend exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continued breastfeeding with complementary feeding to at least two years due to its nutritional, developmental, and survival benefits. Although Uganda reports high breastfeeding initiation, sustaining breastfeeding to two years remains a challenge, especially in informal urban settlements like Katanga slum, where socioeconomic and structural barriers may influence maternal practices. We assessed the prevalence of early breastfeeding cessation and influencing factors among mothers of children aged 2–3 years in Katanga slum, Kampala.
A cross-sectional mixed-methods study was conducted among 300 mothers or caretakers of children aged 2–3 years. Quantitative data were collected through consecutive household sampling, while qualitative data were obtained through 12 in-depth interviews with purposively selected mothers and key informant interviews with 5 health workers and 7 Village Health Teams (VHTs). Quantitative data were analysed using STATA version 17, while qualitative data were analysed deductively through thematic analysis in Open Code.
Early cessation of breastfeeding before two years was reported by 65.7% (197/300) of mothers, exceeding national estimates. Significant associated factors included birth interval <2 years (aPR=1.219; 95% CI: 1.053–1.410), small household size (aPR=1.265; CI: 1.108–1.444), tertiary education (aPR=1.384; CI: 1.025–1.868), Muslim faith (aPR=1.157; CI: 1.031–1.299), fewer than four ANC visits (aPR=1.198; CI: 1.045–1.372), bottle feeding (aPR=1.350; CI: 1.214–1.500), and limited cultural acceptance of exclusive breastfeeding (aPR=1.241; CI: 1.130–1.364). Qualitative findings highlighted barriers including poor maternal health, inadequate nutrition, informal work pressures, cultural norms, limited support, and weak health systems. Facilitators included maternal knowledge, supportive families, health education, community outreach, and personal motivation.
Early breastfeeding cessation is highly prevalent in Katanga slum and shaped by interlinked individual, household, cultural, and system-level factors. Strengthening counselling, enhancing support systems, and promoting breastfeeding-friendly environments are essential to improve continued breastfeeding and child health outcomes.
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