Assessment of nutritional status among institutionalized school age orphaned and vulnerable children in selected orphanages in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Date
2018-10
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Addis Ababa Universty
Abstract
Background
The nutritional status of young children is one of the sensitive indicators of sudden changes in health status and food availability. Orphans are potentially at greater risk of malnutrition because they are more likely to be extremely poor, receive less medical and social care. This segment of the population seeks immediate support for their survival and growth despite less number of orphanages compared to the magnitude of orphans. Despite the aforementioned nutritional concerns among these children, there exists an inadequate body of information about school age orphans and vulnerable children nutritional status in Ethiopia. Thus the objective of this study was to assess nutritional status and whether duration of institutionalization in the orphanage and illness in the last weeks had an effect on the nutritional status of school age orphan and vulnerable children in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Methods: Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted in Addis Ababa. A representative sample size of 418 school age orphan and vulnerable children were selected to participate in the study. Simple random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. Interviewer administered questionnaire and anthropometric measurements were used to collect the data. The collected data was entered and processed with Epi data and Anthro plus, to analyze for z scores, and transferred to Statistical package for social science version 22.0 for further analysis. Multivariate analysis was used after setting statistical significance at α= 0.05.
Result: A total of 391 school age orphans and vulnerable children took part in the study with a response rate of 93.5 %, of whom 310 (79.2%) were orphaned children. Among the children the prevalence of stunting was 21.5 %, Underweight 12.8 % and low BMI for age was 12 %. The odds of stunting in orphan and vulnerable children increased in those who stayed in the orphanage for greater than 10 years as compared to those who stayed in the orphanage for less than five years (AOR=5.81:95% CI;(2.27-14.8). Presence of illness in the last two weeks was associated with increased odds of low Body mass index for Age z score in orphan and vulnerable children who were ill in the last 2 weeks (AOR=5.01:95% CI;2.53-9.89).
Conclusion and recommendation: The proportion of under nutrition was moderate to high in school age orphaned and vulnerable children in the age group of 7-14. Long duration of stay in orphanages and presence of illness in the last two weeks were important predictors of stunting and low BMI for age Z scores respectively. To decrease the proportion of underweight in orphanage institutions and to improve the nutritional status of orphaned and vulnerable children , the orphanage administrations should work in improving the nutritional and health care services given to the orphans during institutionalization.
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Keywords
The nutritional status of young children,Orphans