Factors associated with malnutrition among under five years age children at South Ari Woreda, South Ethiopia, 2015

Abstract

Introduction; Malnutrition continues to be a significant public health and development concern not only in developing country but also in the world. It is a serious problem because it is causing the deaths of 3.5 million children under 5 years old per - year. Its magnitude is still highest in Ethiopia as well as in SNNP region that remains a major public health problem. Objective: The main aim of this study is to assess associated factors of malnutrition on under five years children in South Ari Woreda, South Ethiopia. Methods: Unmatched Case control study was conducted. The study populations for this study was selected children of aged 6-59 months who have malnutrition was Z-score cut-off point of <- 2 SD, Mid-Upper Arm Circumstance (MUAC) <12 cm, if there is edema) for Cases and 6-59 months of children those who do not have malnutrition was Z-score ≥ 2sd, Mid-Upper Arm Circumstance (MUAC)≥12 cm, if there was no edema for Controls. A consecutive sampling technique was employed to select study subjects for this study. Logistic regression was used to analyze data by using backward variable selection technique. Result: A total of 107 cases and 214 controls were included in the study with overall response rate of 100%. Sixty two (57.9%) of cases and 113 (52 %) controls had fathers that cannot read and write. Sixty three (58.8%) of cases and 76 (35.5%) of controls had history of diarrheal episode. Those children whose family use drinking water from unprotected source were 3 times more likely to have malnutrition as compared to those children whose family use drinking water from protected source with .[AOR=3, 95%CI (1.01,9)] (P-value =0.004). Children who had four and more times annual diarrheal episode was three times more likely to have malnutrition as compared to those faced diarrheal episodes less or equal to three per -year [AOR=3.16, 95%CI (1.37,11.49)] (p-value =0.010). Conclusion and recommendation: the following factors are contributed to the experience of malnutrition among under five in the study area. These factors are: appropriate child caring and feeding practices such as frequency of diarrheal episode, child vaccination status, paternal decision making on use money for child care and squeezed out of Colostrums. Therefore, the zonal health department and woreda health office should implement on nutritional intervention activities at all level of the community.