Socio-Cultural Perception, Attitude and Behavior That Affects Malnutrition Incidence among Children in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

Abstract

The incidence of malnutrition in Maiduguri came under global observation in 2015. It had been on the gradual decline prior to the year 2018 as reported by the United Nations in 2017. There has been an alarming resurgence of malnutrition cases within the year, 2018. This study is aimed at explaining the relationship between the resurgence in the incidence of Malnutrition within Maiduguri and the strong sociocultural practices among the indigent people within Maiduguri. It was found out that 54.67% of the 150 randomly selected respondents agreed to have had their Children being placed on RUTF by medical personnel. It also noted that about 54% of the entire respondents had no idea of the importance of the RUTF being prescribed for their children. About 39% of the entire sample population preferred the complementary feeding type to other feeding types. 56% of the respondents had their deliveries conducted at home while only 38% had theirs in the hospital. It is relevant to note that wrong health practices like wrong feeding practices, child marriages and poor health-seeking behaviors are one of the main drivers of malnutrition in our society. One of the most effective means of reducing the incidence of malnutrition is by tackling poverty and encouraging education of children irrespective of their gender or physical challenge.