Status Of Children In Households Research Articles

Comparison of nutritional status of children aged 6–59 months between households receiving unconditional cash transfers and those receiving dry food rations in Rwamwanja refugee settlement, Uganda: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Uganda is currently host to more than 1·2 million refugees from neighbouring countries. Women and children make up more than 54%. Food is distributed to address the nutritional needs of the refugees. Recently, unconditional cash transfers have also been provided to some refugee households to help in diet diversification. It is unclear whether cash transfers offer better nutritional outcomes than food rations. This study compared the nutritional status of children aged 6–59 months between households receiving cash transfers and those receiving dry food rations in Rwamwanja refugee settlement. Methods This cross-sectional study was done in May, 2017, and included 497 children aged 6–59 months (247 [50%] boys and 250 [50%] girls) from 316 households. Structured questionnaires and key informant interviews were conducted among caregivers and focal people from different organisations in the refugee settlement. Nutritional status was assessed using anthropometric measurement. ENA for SMART version 13 software was used to convert nutritional data into Z-score indices of weight-for-age (underweight), height-for-age (stunting), and weight-for-height (wasting), which are less than −2SD of the WHO Growth Standard chart. Data were analysed using Stata version 13 to obtain odds ratio (OR) and prevalence rate ratio (PRR). Findings The prevalence of stunting among children 6–59 months was 46·7% (95% CI 40·4–53·2) in households receiving cash and 49·4% (44·0–54·8) in households receiving dry food rations. The prevalence of underweight was 19·6% (95% CI 15·0–25·1) in households receiving cash and 25·3% (21·0–23.0) in households receiving food. The prevalence of wasting was 2·1% (95% CI 0·9–4·9) in households receiving cash and 3·5% (2·0–6·1) in households receiving food. Prevalence of stunting among recipients of dry food was two times higher in the 12–23 month age group (adjusted PRR 2·37, 95% CI 1·24–4·54) and two times higher in the 24–35 month age group (2·30, 1·17–4·51) than in the 6–11 month age group. Children from households with female caretakers were less likely to be underweight than those with male caretakers (adjusted PRR 0·47, 95% CI 0·02–0·99). Among recipients of cash transfer, children who were not immunised for measles vaccine were five times more likely to be wasted than children who were immunised (adjusted OR 4·50, 95% CI 1·08–18·83). Interpretation Prevalence of stunting was high in the refugee settlement, and nutritional status of children in households receiving cash was not better than those receiving dry food rations. Cash transfer was preferred by most households. From this study, we recommend promotion of cash transfers in refugee settlements in Uganda. Funding None.

Treading water: The long-term impact of the 1998 flood on nutrition in Bangladesh

Bangladesh was hit by the worst flood in over a century in the summer of 1998. Although many households were able to smooth consumption expenditure, not everyone was able to maintain adequate calorie consumption. As a consequence, the nutritional status of children in households that were more severely exposed to the flood deteriorated. We use a three round panel data set to investigate which households were better protected from longer term nutritional crises, and whether the health of flood-exposed children recovered to the level of those who were not exposed. The evidence suggests that children exposed to the flood were adversely affected by the shock to their health and did not recover within the survey period. The results also suggest that ex ante government programs were more effective than ex post interventions to protect the heath of children from the impact of the flood.

Do home gardens improve the nutrition of rural pre-schoolers in Lesotho?

In this study, the contribution of household gardens to the nutritional status of pre-schoolers in Lesotho was investigated. The anthropometric status of children under five years of age was measured in five randomly selected villages in five districts of Lesotho during November and December 1999. In each district, the nutritional status of an average of 538 children was assessed. Production from household gardens was investigated to determine whether households had access to vegetables throughout the year. Despite a significant association between the presence of home gardens and lower incidences of wasting and underweight, the nutritional status of children in households with or without home gardens in sampled areas is poor. Some 49 per cent of children from households with food gardens were stunted, 29 per cent were underweight, and 24 per cent showed wasting. Many households do not produce enough vegetables rich in vitamin A to meet both their consumption and nutritional needs. Recommendations include intensified production of a wider mix of crops that include starchy crops, vitamin A-rich vegetables and fruit trees to ensure a significant impact on children's nutritional status.

Nutritional status and mortality of highland children in Nepal: Impact of sociocultural factors

This study investigates the nutritional status of native children in the highlands of Nepal (1,700-3,000 m) and explores the relationship between child mortality and surviving children's nutritional status. A random sample of 145 households from 11 villages in the Koshi Hill Zone in east Nepal was surveyed, and the nutritional status of the 438 children < 14 years of age living in these households was assessed by means of anthropometry. We found a severe growth retardation in the Nepalese children compared to lowland reference groups as well as to highland children from the Andes. Child mortality and altitude are not significantly different between higher (Brahman and Chetri) and lower (Baisya and Sudra) caste households. A lower caste status and higher altitude of the household is associated with a significantly better nutritional status in offspring. In multiple regression analyses, improved nutritional status in children is significantly associated with lower caste (P = 0.001), higher altitude (P = 0.009), and less crowding (P = 0.001) but not with sibling mortality (P = 0.11). We thus conclude that nutritional status of children in households in the highlands of Nepal is associated with the household's socioeconomic status and altitude but not with mortality among siblings.

Nutritional status and mortality of highland children in Nepal: Impact of sociocultural factors

This study investigates the nutritional status of native children in the highlands of Nepal (1,700-3,000 m) and explores the relationship between child mortality and surviving children's nutritional status. A random sample of 145 households from 11 villages in the Koshi Hill Zone in east Nepal was surveyed, and the nutritional status of the 438 children < 14 years of age living in these households was assessed by means of anthropometry. We found a severe growth retardation in the Nepalese children compared to lowland reference groups as well as to highland children from the Andes. Child mortality and altitude are not significantly different between higher (Brahman and Chetri) and lower (Baisya and Sudra) caste households. A lower caste status and higher altitude of the household is associated with a significantly better nutritional status in offspring. In multiple regression analyses, improved nutritional status in children is significantly associated with lower caste (P = 0.001), higher altitude (P = 0.009), and less crowding (P = 0.001) but not with sibling mortality (P = 0.11). We thus conclude that nutritional status of children in households in the highlands of Nepal is associated with the household's socioeconomic status and altitude but not with mortality among siblings.