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Magnitude and Factors Associated with Malnutrition in Children 6-59 Months of Age in Pastoral Community of Dollo Ado District, Somali Region, Ethiopia

Received: 7 August 2013     Published: 30 August 2013
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Abstract

Background: Malnutrition at the early stages of life can lower child resistance to infections, increase child morbidity and mortality, and decrease mental development and cognitive achievement. Adequate nutrition is the keystone of survival, health and development not only of current generations but also of the ones to come. Child malnutrition is a major public health problem in Ethiopia. Objectives: To assess the magnitude and factors associated with malnutrition of children 6 to 59 months of age in Dollo Ado district, Somali region. Methods: A community based, cross-sectional study was conducted on 541 mother-child pairs of 6-59 month old children in December 2012. Anthropometric measurements of height and weight of 541 study children were taken with physical examination to identify the severe form of malnutrition and the socio-demographic characteristics of the subjects were collected using a questionnaire. Both anthropometric and non anthropometric data were entered using Epi-Info version 3.5.2. The data were analyzed using SPSS Version 16.0. Both bivariate and multivariate analysis (logistic regression model) was used to identify the determinants of child malnutrition. Results: Result of the study revealed that the overall prevalence of malnutrition in the community was high with 42.3% of the children being wasted, 34.4% for stunting and 47.7% for underweight. All three forms of malnutrition (wasting, stunting and underweight) was more prevalent among boys than girls with a statistically significant of P<0.031. Prevalence of wasting was higher among young children while stunting and underweight were more likely to be observed in older children. Regression analysis shows that the significant determinants of malnutrition were gender and age of child, marital status, maternal education, monthly HH income, decision making, having of livestock, presence of ARI, total number of children ever born, health status during pregnancy, pre-lactation practice, mode of feeding, access to clean water and type of floor in the households. Conclusions: The prevalence of child malnutrition among the under five children was high, indicating that the nutrition situation in study area is very critical. Thus, malnutrition is a major public health problem. Further in-depth studies should also be encouraged to look for improved interventions.

Published in Science Journal of Public Health (Volume 1, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.sjph.20130104.12
Page(s) 175-183
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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2013. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Child Malnutrition, Wasting, Underweight, Stunting, Magnitude, Cross-Sectional Studies, Associated Factor, Ethiopia

References
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[5] Central Statistical Authority. Demographic and Health Survey 2011; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and ICF International Calverton, Maryland. USA. March 2012.
[6] A life free from hunger: ‘’Tackling Child Malnutrition," report by Save the children International, Geneva. Feb, 2012.
[7] Leonor Rodriguez, Elsa Cervantes and Rocio Ortiz. Malnutrition and Gastrointestinal and Respiratory Infections in Children: A Public Health Problem; Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2011, 8, 1174-1205.
[8] World Health Organization. Communicable disease and severe food shortage technical Note: WHO, Geneva. October 2010.
[9] Ingunn MS, Thorkild T, Henry W, Charles K, and James KT. Determinants of infant growth in Eastern Uganda: a community-based cross-sectional study: BMC Public Health 2008, 8:418
[10] Lisa C. Smith and Lawrence Haddad; Overcoming Child Malnutrition in developing Countries: Past Achievements and Future Choices; February 28, 2000
[11] FMOH. Program Implementation Manual of National Nutrition Program (NNP) I; 2008, A.A, Ethiopia.
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[19] Ingunn M ,Stadskleiv E, Thorkild T, Henry W, Charles K, and James KT. Determinants of infant growth in Eastern Uganda: a community-based cross-sectional study: BMC Public Health 2008, 8:418
[20] Mahgoub S, Nnyepi M, Bandeke T. Factors Affecting Prevalence of Malnutrition Among Children Under Three Years of Age in Botswana. African Journal of Food Agriculture Nutrition and Development (AJFAND); Volume 6, 2006.
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    Solomon Demissie, Amare Worku. (2013). Magnitude and Factors Associated with Malnutrition in Children 6-59 Months of Age in Pastoral Community of Dollo Ado District, Somali Region, Ethiopia. Science Journal of Public Health, 1(4), 175-183. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20130104.12

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    ACS Style

    Solomon Demissie; Amare Worku. Magnitude and Factors Associated with Malnutrition in Children 6-59 Months of Age in Pastoral Community of Dollo Ado District, Somali Region, Ethiopia. Sci. J. Public Health 2013, 1(4), 175-183. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20130104.12

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    AMA Style

    Solomon Demissie, Amare Worku. Magnitude and Factors Associated with Malnutrition in Children 6-59 Months of Age in Pastoral Community of Dollo Ado District, Somali Region, Ethiopia. Sci J Public Health. 2013;1(4):175-183. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20130104.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.sjph.20130104.12,
      author = {Solomon Demissie and Amare Worku},
      title = {Magnitude and Factors Associated with Malnutrition in Children 6-59 Months of Age in Pastoral Community of Dollo Ado District, Somali Region, Ethiopia},
      journal = {Science Journal of Public Health},
      volume = {1},
      number = {4},
      pages = {175-183},
      doi = {10.11648/j.sjph.20130104.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20130104.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjph.20130104.12},
      abstract = {Background: Malnutrition at the early stages of life can lower child resistance to infections, increase child morbidity and mortality, and decrease mental development and cognitive achievement. Adequate nutrition is the keystone of survival, health and development not only of current generations but also of the ones to come. Child malnutrition is a major public health problem in Ethiopia. Objectives: To assess the magnitude and factors associated with malnutrition of children 6 to 59 months of age in Dollo Ado district, Somali region. Methods: A community based, cross-sectional study was conducted on 541 mother-child pairs of 6-59 month old children in December 2012. Anthropometric measurements of height and weight of 541 study children were taken with physical examination to identify the severe form of malnutrition and the socio-demographic characteristics of the subjects were collected using a questionnaire. Both anthropometric and non anthropometric data were entered using Epi-Info version 3.5.2. The data were analyzed using SPSS Version 16.0. Both bivariate and multivariate analysis (logistic regression model) was used to identify the determinants of child malnutrition. Results: Result of the study revealed that the overall prevalence of malnutrition in the community was high with 42.3% of the children being wasted, 34.4% for stunting and 47.7% for underweight. All three forms of malnutrition (wasting, stunting and underweight) was more prevalent among boys than girls with a statistically significant of P<0.031. Prevalence of wasting was higher among young children while stunting and underweight were more likely to be observed in older children. Regression analysis shows that the significant determinants of malnutrition were gender and age of child, marital status, maternal education, monthly HH income, decision making, having of livestock, presence of ARI, total number of children ever born, health status during pregnancy, pre-lactation practice, mode of feeding, access to clean water and type of floor in the households. Conclusions: The prevalence of child malnutrition among the under five children was high, indicating that the nutrition situation in study area is very critical. Thus, malnutrition is a major public health problem. Further in-depth studies should also be encouraged to look for improved interventions.},
     year = {2013}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Magnitude and Factors Associated with Malnutrition in Children 6-59 Months of Age in Pastoral Community of Dollo Ado District, Somali Region, Ethiopia
    AU  - Solomon Demissie
    AU  - Amare Worku
    Y1  - 2013/08/30
    PY  - 2013
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20130104.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.sjph.20130104.12
    T2  - Science Journal of Public Health
    JF  - Science Journal of Public Health
    JO  - Science Journal of Public Health
    SP  - 175
    EP  - 183
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2328-7950
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20130104.12
    AB  - Background: Malnutrition at the early stages of life can lower child resistance to infections, increase child morbidity and mortality, and decrease mental development and cognitive achievement. Adequate nutrition is the keystone of survival, health and development not only of current generations but also of the ones to come. Child malnutrition is a major public health problem in Ethiopia. Objectives: To assess the magnitude and factors associated with malnutrition of children 6 to 59 months of age in Dollo Ado district, Somali region. Methods: A community based, cross-sectional study was conducted on 541 mother-child pairs of 6-59 month old children in December 2012. Anthropometric measurements of height and weight of 541 study children were taken with physical examination to identify the severe form of malnutrition and the socio-demographic characteristics of the subjects were collected using a questionnaire. Both anthropometric and non anthropometric data were entered using Epi-Info version 3.5.2. The data were analyzed using SPSS Version 16.0. Both bivariate and multivariate analysis (logistic regression model) was used to identify the determinants of child malnutrition. Results: Result of the study revealed that the overall prevalence of malnutrition in the community was high with 42.3% of the children being wasted, 34.4% for stunting and 47.7% for underweight. All three forms of malnutrition (wasting, stunting and underweight) was more prevalent among boys than girls with a statistically significant of P<0.031. Prevalence of wasting was higher among young children while stunting and underweight were more likely to be observed in older children. Regression analysis shows that the significant determinants of malnutrition were gender and age of child, marital status, maternal education, monthly HH income, decision making, having of livestock, presence of ARI, total number of children ever born, health status during pregnancy, pre-lactation practice, mode of feeding, access to clean water and type of floor in the households. Conclusions: The prevalence of child malnutrition among the under five children was high, indicating that the nutrition situation in study area is very critical. Thus, malnutrition is a major public health problem. Further in-depth studies should also be encouraged to look for improved interventions.
    VL  - 1
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia

  • Addis Continental Institute of Public Health (ACIPH), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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