Sociodemographic and Paternal Determinants of Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices Among Mothers in Ikotos County, Eastern Equatoria, South Sudan: Evidence from a Community-Based Cross-Sectional Survey

Background: Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices remain suboptimal in conflict-affected, resource-poor settings such as South Sudan, where sociodemographic and paternal factors critically shape feeding behaviours. Understanding these determinants is essential to designing targeted community-based interventions that reduce child malnutrition and mortality. Objectives: This study aimed to identify the sociodemographic and paternal factors associated with IYCF practices among mothers with children below 24 months of age in Ikotos County, Eastern Equatoria, South Sudan. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in March 2020 among 317 systematically sampled mothers across four payams and twelve villages. Bivariate analysis (Chi-square tests) and multivariate logistic regression were used to assess associations between independent variables and three IYCF outcomes: breastfeeding initiation within one hour, exclusive breastfeeding, and continued breastfeeding beyond 24 months. Statistical significance was set at p≤0.05 at a 95% confidence interval. Results: Maternal age (χ²=2.471, p=0.04), maternal education level (χ²=5.789, p=0.01), maternal occupation (χ²=9.693, p=0.008), source of income (χ²=9.738, p=0.006), paternal education (χ²=8.180–33.448, p<0.05), paternal occupation (χ²=13.046, p=0.001), and child's sex (χ²=8.432, p=0.004) were significantly associated with at least one IYCF outcome. In multivariate analysis, secondary maternal education (AOR=5.524; 95%CI: 1.597–19.11, p=0.007), paternal tertiary education for breastfeeding initiation (AOR=2.234; 95%CI: 1.334–1.496, p<0.001), and paternal secondary education for continued breastfeeding (AOR=24.452; 95%CI: 4.196–142.480, p<0.001) were the strongest predictors. Conclusion: Sociodemo