Abstract
Background: Melghat is tribal area in India with very high child mortality & malnutrition. One of the major causes of mortality & morbidity are protein energy malnutrition(PEM). We developed Home Based Child Care (HBCC) model for tribal population to reduce children mortality and malnutrition. Objectives: Methods: Study-design was Randomised Control Trial. We selected 16 intervention (population 14,888) and 18 control (population 16,310) villages. Trained village health workers in intervention area treated post-neonatal diseases such as malnutrition, diarrhoea, ARI, malaria and neonatal diseases like LBW, etc. Behaviour Change Communication programs were conducted. Results: Baseline mortality indices and prevalence of severe malnutrition in control versus intervention areas were: IMR- 72.97 vs 94.9, & U5MR- 102.56 vs 143.52 and severe malnutrition-9.6% vs.9.8 %. After intervention IMR, U5MR & prevalence of severe malnutrition were significantly decreased in intervention area to 24.79, 37.19 & 4.4% respectively(p< 0.05). The prevalence, number of deaths & case fatality rates due to malnutrition in intervention area were reduced significantly (p< 0.05). Conclusions: HBCC resulted in significant decrease in children mortality especially due to malnutrition & prevalence of severe malnutrition. Our model is replicable for reducing children mortality due to malnutrition.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
