Spatial heterogeneity and factors influencing stunting and severe stunting among under-5 children in Ethiopia: spatial and multilevel analysis

Bayuh Asmamaw Hailu,Joseph Beyene,Getahun Gebre Bogale

doi:10.1038/s41598-020-73572-5

Bayuh Asmamaw Hailu, Joseph Beyene + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-73572-5

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Journal: Scientific Reports	Publication Date: Oct 2, 2020
Citations: 24	License type: open-access

Affiliation: McMaster University, Impact, Wollo University

Abstract

Stunting remains a major public health concern in Ethiopia. Government needs to reshape and redesign new interventions to reduce stunting among under-five children. Hence, this study identified the problem according to location and risk factor. This study is a secondary data analysis of the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey. A total of 9588 children aged 0–59 months were included in the study. The spatial and multilevel logistic regression analyses were used to explore spatial heterogeneity and identify individual- and household-level factors associated with stunting and severe stunting. Spatial heterogeneity of stunting and severe stunting was seen across the study setting. Male children (AOR = 1.51, CI 1.16, 1.96); multiple births (AOR = 27.6, CI 10.73, 71.18); older children (AOR = 1.04, CI 1.01, 1.05) and anemic children (AOR = 3.21, CI 2.3, 4.49) were severely stunted at individual-level factors. Children from educated and malnourished mothers (respectively, AOR = 0.18, CI 0.05, 0.71; AOR = 5.35, CI 3.45, 8.32), and from less wealthier mothers (AOR = 5.95, CI 2.58, 13.69) were severely stunted at household-level factors. Giving priority to the hotspot areas of stunting and older and anemic children, multiple births, and maternal undernutrition is important to reduce stunting. Studies are recommended to fill the gaps of this study.

Highlights

Stunting remains a major public health concern in Ethiopia
The study was conducted in Ethiopia, which is located in the North Eastern part of the Africa or known as the “Horn of Africa.”
This study indicated that childhood stunting and severe stunting at national and regional levels are non-random

Summary

Introduction

Stunting remains a major public health concern in Ethiopia. Government needs to reshape and redesign new interventions to reduce stunting among under-five children. Stunting is the effect of chronic malnutrition as a result of inability to receive adequate nutrition over a long period and recurrent illnesses. It is a sign of malnutrition and cause of negative health consequences throughout the lifespan, for instance, severe complications at birth, reduced cognitive ability and development, school absenteeism, and poor socio-emotional s kills[1,2,3]. Though the global burden of stunting reduced between 1990 and 2015 by more than 25%, it has still been a major nutrition-related risk factor causing 257 deaths per 100,000 c hildren[8]. The prevalence of childhood stunting (both stunting and severe stunting) at the population level is as high as 32% in Africa, 24% in Asia and 11% in Latin America[10]

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