Prevalence and Determinants of Child Malnutrition In Gimbi district, Oromia region, Ethiopia Comparative Cross - Sectional study
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Date
2007-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Child malnutrition is one of the most serious public health problem in the developing world
including Ethiopia. Recent survey in the country show that 38% of children are underweight,
10.5% wasted and 46.5% are stunted. However, underlying variations of these nutritional
indicators and determinant factors among regions and localities is poorly understood.
The main objective of the study was to assess the prevalence of child malnutrition and identify
the various causes and their relative contributions in urban and rural settings.
A comparative cross sectional study was conducted in Gimbi district, Oromia region on a
total of 490 children (310 from rural and 180 from urban areas) of age 6-59 months in March
2007. A multistage systematic sampling method was employed to collect quantitative data
using structured questionnaire and anthropometric measurements. The study variables
include; socio-economic and demographic characteristics, child and maternal related
variables and environmental health conditions.
Data were processed using EPi-info soft ware and exported to SPSS for analysis. NCHS
reference population standard of WHO utilized to convert height and weight measurements
into Z-scores of the H/A, W/H and W/A indices considering age and sex of the children.
Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis methods were used to identify
determinants of nutritional status and to account for potential confounding factors.
The result of the study indicated that 15.9 percent of the children were wasted, 32.4 percent
were stunted, and 23.5 percent underweight. Prevalence of severe wasting, stunting and
underweight respectively were 5.7%, 15.7%, and 8.0%. No significant variation of child
malnutrition by residence was observed.
Main determinant factors of wasting were childhood illness indicated by fever, low household
income and maternal lack of education. Low birth size of children, paternal lack of education,
maternal lack of decision making on use of money and lack of animals were associated with
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chronic malnutrition (stunting). ARI in children, lack of windows of houses and low maternal
BMI (<18.5) are most important determinants of under weight.
Rural resident children were more exposed to nutritional risk factors than their urban
counterparts.
This study indicated that acute nutritional problem is highly prevalent in the area and chronic
nutritional problem is also of particular concern. It is recommended that prevention and
treatment of childhood illness should be enhanced and therapeutic feeding centers be
established in short term. More over, women empowerment and efforts to alleviate poverty
are crucial if the problem of malnutrition is to be solved in the long run.
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Keywords
Prevalence and Determinants of Child Malnutrition