Assessment of the relationship between under-nutrition and malaria in preschool children at Bahir Dar special zone, Ethiopia: a comparative cross-sectional study
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Date
2014-07
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Addis Abeba University
Abstract
Background: Malaria and under-nutrition are the two major causes of childhood mortality in sub-
Saharan Africa. More than half of child mortality related to major infectious diseases is attributed
at least in part to under nutrition. In Ethiopia both under nutrition and malaria are very important
public health problem. Although the relationship of malnutrition and respiratory infection,
diarrheal diseases is well studied, the relation with malaria is still controversial. The information
that obtained in this study will help to develop clear guideline on management of under nutrition
and malaria at individual as well as at community level.
Objective: To assess the relationship between under- nutrition and malaria in preschool children
at Bahir Dar special zone, Ethiopia
Methodology: A cross sectional study that compared two groups (with confirmed malaria and
without confirmed malaria) was conducted to assess the relationship between malaria and undernutrition
at Bahir Dar special zone. A total of 621 Samples was calculated based on sample size
calculation for comparative cross sectional study design using EpiInfo Statcalc. Anthropometric
measurements and clinical data were recorded by trained clinical nurses and blood film results
were taken by laboratory technician in respective health centers. Stunting, wasting, and
underweight of children were determined using the International Reference Population defined by
the WHO using WHO Anthro software. Data were entered using EpiInfo version 3.5.4 and
transformed to SPSS version 21 for cleaning and analysis.
Result: The prevalence rates of stunting, underweight and wasting were 50.3%, 34.2% and 12.1%
among cases respectively. Stunting (AOR = 1.614; 95%C.I. = 1.192–2.514), underweight (AOR
= 1.690; 95%C.I. = 1.112– 2.903) and wasting (AOR = 2.44; 95%C.I. = 1.15–5.20) were
significantly associated with confirmed cases of malaria. Other important predictors were place of
residence (rural) (AOR = 2.35; 95%C.I. = 1.39 – 3.98), sex (male) (AOR = 1.88; 95%C.I. = 1.19
– 2.98), LLIN use (AOR = 0.20; 95%C.I. = 0.13 – 0.33), IRS (AOR = 0.26; 95%C.I. = 0.15 – 0.43)
and educational status of the mother (above grade 12) (AOR = 0.30; 95%C.I. = 0.11 – 0.79).
Conclusion and Recommendation: the major contributor factors to malaria were wasting,
stunting, underweight, rural residence, male sex, LLIN use, indoor residual spray and low
educational status of the mother/caregiver. Therefore, governmental and non-governmental
organizations need to consider integration of malaria control program with nutrition intervention.
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Assessment of the relationship between under-nutrition