Influence of mothers' characteristics on their perceptions and use of the growth chart.

Although growth charts are recommended for monitoring children, recent reports indicate poor use by mothers. We investigated maternal knowledge and perceptions of growth charts and identified characteristics affecting use. At outpatient paediatric clinics of a Riyadh hospital, 305 mothers with children under age 5 were interviewed by questionnaire during May-June 2001. Overall awareness of growth charts was 35.8% and ever-use was 8.6%. Education, parity and number of living children were significantly associated with knowledge. Among mothers who ever used growth charts (8.7%), only 10% reported doctors recommended changes in health care because of them. Overall, 71% wanted to monitor their child's growth, but 20% did not know how. Increased health education in all health care delivery systems is needed.