Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Undernutrition is one of the most serious public health problems in the
world. In Ethiopia, undernutrition is the underlying cause of 270,000 under-five death each
year. of child deaths, with some of the highest rates of stunting and underweight in the world.
the prevalence and factors associated with children's undernutrition in pastoralist
communities are all unknown. National estimates of child undernutrition are not always
comparable to local estimates.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of undernutrition and associated factors among
children aged 6-59 months in drought-affected pastoralist communities in Teltele, Woreda
Borana Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia, 2023.
METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Teltele Woreda
Borana Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia, from April 20 to June 30, 2023. A multistage
Cluster sampling technique was used to select 632 study participants. kobo toolbox collect
data and exported to SPSS Version 25 weights for height/length, weight for age, and height
for age were calculated using WHO Anthro version 3.2.2 software. Descriptive statistics were
done to summarize household characteristics, and binary logistic regression analysis was
done to identify risk factors for nutritional status and control confounders. Bi-variable and
multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to select potential candidate variables at p value <=0.25 and those variables were further analysed to fit the final multivariable logistic
regression model.
Result:- The prevalence of stunted, underweight, and wasted was 57.8 %, 43.3%, and
38.7%, respectively. Feeding other than breast milk in the first 48 hour, Vitamin A
Supplementation, colostrum feeding, the duration of exclusive breast feeding, attempts to
purify drinking water, and household food security status increase stunting. Moreover, the
associated factors significant with underweight were family size, history of ANC visits,
source of drinking water, and prelacteal feeding, whereas sex, attempt to purify water, and
type of toilet facility increased the prevalence of wasting
Conclusion:- undernutrition in study area was greater than regional and national averages,
factors associated with the nutritional status of pastoralist children are different those from
agrarian community. Attempts to purify drinking water have been associated with stunting
and wasting. the source of drinking water was also associated with stunting and underweight,
vitamin A supplementation, and prelacteal feeding were also related to undernutrition. Thus, nutritional intervention and wash programs in the Teltele district should focus on these
factors.
