Assessment of magnitude and factors affecting nutritional status of HIV infected under-five children at five public hospitals in Addis Ababa and its programmatic implication
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2014-02
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Abstract
Background: Even though malnutrition can affect any child who is at risk, HIV infected children are at a greater risk to have malnutrition due to the synergistic relationship between infection and malnutrition.
Objective: to assess factors affecting nutritional status of HIV infected under-five children at five public hospitals in Addis Ababa.
Methods: the research was conducted at five public hospitals in Addis Ababa using a cross-sectional research design and data was collected from June 3 to September 20, 2013. Using simple random sampling method 243 under five HIV infected children were included in the study. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection and data was analyzed by running simple frequencies, odds ratio and binary logistic regression.
Result: The prevalence of underweight, stunting and Global Acute Malnutrition among the children were 15.4%, 62.1% and 2.5% respectively. Under multivariate analysis CD4 percentage equal to or above 25% was protective of stunting while always not having enough food in the family of the child was significant in the model for predicting stunting. Maternal age from 36-49 years old was found to be protective of being underweight while being a girl was protective of wasting.
Conclusion and recommendation: the magnitude of chronic malnutrition in the HIV infected under five children having follow up in the five public hospitals was very high which can affect survival. It needs intervention by addressing the food insecurity and CD4 percentage value of the child which were related to it.
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Assessment of magnitude and factors affecting