Abstract
Background: Acute malnutrition is one type of under-nutrition that is devastating life and as reflected a nutritionally deficient state of recent onset related to sudden food deprivation or mal-absorption utilization of nutrients which results significant weight loss. In Ethiopia, child under-nutrition is one of the most serious public health problem and the highest in the world. Therefore, this study designed to assess the prevalence of acute malnutrition and its associated factors in children aged 6-59 months in Gursum district in Somali region in Ethiopia. Method: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 541 children aged 6–59 months from Feb. 14–25, 2019. A multistage sampling method was used to select the study participants. Interviewer administered questionnaire was used and EPI-DATA statistical software were entered the data and SPSS version20 were used for analysis. The Z-scores for weight-for-height (WHZ) were calculated using the World Health Organization anthro2010. Binary logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with acute malnutrition. The statistical significance Variable was declared at P-Value less than0.05. Multi-co-linearity effect was checked. The study found the prevalence of wasting was 21.2% (17.54, 24.726). Educational status of the mother (AOR=1.87, 95% CL: 1.065, 3.286), diarrhoea two weeks before interview (AOR=2.469, 95% CI: 1.487, 4.100), family size (AOR=1.72, 95% CL: 1.058, 2.797), colostrum feeding (AOR: 2.26; 95%CI: 1.404, 3.646), bottle feeding (AOR: 3.297; 95% CI (1.944, 5.591) were significantly associated with acute malnutrition in Gursum district. Conclusion: The prevalence of acute malnutrition in the study area was high. Health extension workers and stakeholders should give concern on promotion of proper nutrition in the community.
Highlights
Under-nutrition has persistently remained one of the major public health problems/threats in globally for developing countries [1, 2]
Acute malnutrition is one type of under-nutrition that is devastating life and as reflected a nutritionally deficient state of recent onset related to sudden food deprivation or mal-absorption utilization of nutrients which results significant weight loss
Whereas the study population consisted of a sample of All randomly selected children 6 to 59 months of age and their mothers /caregivers who were in the selected kebeles in Gursum district Study participants who were living to the study area for 6 months and more were included, children whom others were unable to participate due to illness, and children with physical deformities that hinder height measurements at the time of data collection were excluded from the study
Summary
Under-nutrition has persistently remained one of the major public health problems/threats in globally for developing countries [1, 2]. Under-nutrition is the major single underlying cause of death in children worldwide [4]. In Ethiopia, child under-nutrition is one of the most serious public health problem and the highest in the world. This study designed to assess the prevalence of acute malnutrition and its associated factors in children aged 6-59 months in Gursum district in Somali region in Ethiopia. Educational status of the mother (AOR=1.87, 95% CL: 1.065, 3.286), diarrhoea two weeks before interview (AOR=2.469, 95% CI: 1.487, 4.100), family size (AOR=1.72, 95% CL: 1.058, 2.797), colostrum feeding (AOR: 2.26; 95%CI: 1.404, 3.646), bottle feeding (AOR: 3.297; 95% CI (1.944, 5.591) were significantly associated with acute malnutrition in Gursum district. Conclusion: The prevalence of acute malnutrition in the study area was high. Health extension workers and stakeholders should give concern on promotion of proper nutrition in the community
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