Socioeconomic Basis of Child Stunting In Meket District Of Amhara Region: Household Resources, Beliefs: Conviction About Child Feeding Practice, And Maternal Empowerment
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2020-02
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The prevalence of stunting is the conventional anthropometric measure that reflects multifactorial social deprivation. Despite substantial reductions in recent years in Ethiopia, the prevalence of stunting in the Amhara Region remains unacceptably high, affecting 47% of children under-five. Several studies have been conducted to explain why this could be the case with a focus on districts, despite they employed nutritional, biological, and economic models. The researcher argues this necessitates a need for an adequate understanding of the influence of socio-cultural and gender factors in the child stunting status. In light of this, a mixed-methods approach was employed to collect and analyze the data needed to address these. Accordingly, information was collected from 303 mothers with stunted children through surveys and in-depth interviews. A group interview with six individuals and key informant interviews were also made with four health professionals and two woreda officials. The quantitative data were analyzed statistically whereas qualitative data were analyzed using a thematic analysis. The research indicated that most of the households lacked land, livestock, trees, and fruits, and produced small. Thus, the food did not last and face food shortages seasonally. The study found that a household’s choice of ingredients is often severely limited and the ability to mix the food into a nutritious combination is hampered by traditions and religious values. The research indicated that most of the stunted children were originally from mothers whose ANC and PNC visits were less than four and delivered at home. The study further reveals that the vast majority of stunted children were from mothers married in early life, illiterate, no decision making power within the household, and who did not make trips to market, hospitals, or relatives. Mothers were found busy with domestic tasks, have few social support networks and thus, prepare easily made food and feed children infrequently. In inferential statistics, the variables having assistant with domestic tasks, consumption behavior during pregnancy, stop consuming certain kinds of food during pregnancy, child age, household size, maternal age, and decision on mother’s healthcare have a statistically significant effect on severe stunting. The socioeconomic variables and maternal healthcare utilization were found not statistically significant on affecting severe stunting. The researcher recommends that efforts to reduce stunting prevalence should address cultural and gender issues alongside economic issues. Also the need for a further study examining the family legacy of malnutrition where its effect on child nutritional status is strong.
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Socioeconomic Basis of Child Stunting In Meket District Of Amhara Region: Household Resources, Beliefs: Conviction About Child Feeding Practice, And Maternal Empowerment