Knowledge and attitudes of community health workers in Ecuador regarding the prevention of chronic malnutrition in children: results of a cross-sectional exploratory study

Authors: María Pilar Villena Esponera, Laura Sánchez Amador, Marta Caballero

This study looked at what community health workers in Ecuador know about child malnutrition and how confident they feel addressing it. It found that while many understand the causes and feel confident giving advice, there are gaps in knowledge about the effects of malnutrition and proper feeding practices, especially for young children. Less experienced workers had lower knowledge, and challenges like poverty and lack of clean water also affect families. The study shows that more training is needed to help health workers better support child nutrition in their communities.