An assessment of the causes of malnutrition in Ethiopia: A ...

Figure 4.8: The extended model of care.
Source: Engle et al 1999.
Interventions that have increased the workload of the mother, without increasing the amount
of income under her control, have had only limited or no effect on children's nutrition status
(Fasil et al. 2000).
As shown in Figure 4.8, according to the extended UNICEF model of care, in order
for care behaviors to be exhibited, the caregiver needs sufficient education, time, and support.
The provision of these resources can be considered care for the caregiver.
Six major categories of resources for care include: 1) education, knowledge, and
beliefs; 2) health and nutritional status of the caregiver; 3) mental health, lack of stress, and
self-confidence of the caregiver; 4) autonomy, control of resources, and intra-household
allocation; 5) workload and time constraints; and 6) social support from family members and
community. These aspects are the human and organizational resources identified in the
extended model of care (Gillespie & Haddad 2003; UNICEF 1989).
Education, knowledge, and beliefs represent the capacity of the caregiver to provide
appropriate care. The physical and mental health (self-confidence and lack of stress and
depression) of the caregiver represents individual-level factors that facilitate the translation of
capacity to behavior. Finally, autonomy, workload, and social support are facilitating
conditions in the family and community.
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