ASSESSMENT OF CHILD CARE STRESS AMONG WOMEN OF CHILD BEARING AGE STUDYING IN FACULTY OF ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCE UNIVERSITY OF MAIDUGURI

ABSTRACT: This study was carried out to assess child care stress among women of child bearing age studying in Faculty of Allied Health Science University of Maiduguri. Specifically, the study  was aimed at examine if women of child bearing age studying in faculty of allied health science University of Maiduguri faces child care stress, examine the prevalence of child care stress among women of child bearing age studying in faculty of allied health science University of Maiduguri, and investigate the coping strategy women of child bearing age studying in faculty of allied health science University of Maiduguri adopt for child care stress. The study employed the survey descriptive research design. A total of 141 responses were validated from the survey. From the responses obtained and analysed, the findings revealed that the women of child bearing age studying in faculty of allied health science University of Maiduguri do face child care stress, the prevalence of child care stress among women of child bearing age studying in faculty of allied health science University of Maiduguri is high. Also, the coping strategy women of child bearing age studying in faculty of allied health science University of Maiduguri adopt for child care stress includes: use of nanny, use of day-care centre, use of exclusive breastfeeding pattern, and provision of additional micronutrients from supplements to children after six months. The study recommend there should a synergistic relationship between University health workers and women of child bearing age on how to manage child care stress in order to facilitate efficient and effective communication channel. This can be used to inform mothers on current trend in child care practices and stress management strategies. It can also serve as platform for feedback mechanism, and evaluation/assessment of women’s progress and improvement on child care practices. Moreso, a holistic approach to understating factors affecting women’s child care practices should be adopted because it will spur more research on CCPs. This may help reduce children’s exposure to poor child care practices and stress on the mothers.