Determination of risk factors associated with malnutrition among children under the age of five: a case control study at Arthur Davison children’s hospital in Ndola, Zambia
Journal Title: Asian Pacific Journal of Health Sciences - Year 2017, Vol 4, Issue 2
Abstract
Background: Malnutrition is one of the conditions that contribute to high mortality rate among children under the age of five. Although risk factors for malnutrition are well known ,they tend to vary from population to population. The main objective of this study was to establish risk factors associated with malnutrition among children under the age of five presenting at Arthur Davison Children’s Hospital in Ndola, Zambia. Method: A case-control study was conducted in the protein calorie malnutrition unit and other units at Arthur Davison Children’s Hospital in Ndola, Zambia from October 2016 to may 2017.Cases were children who were moderately or severely malnourished with or without oedema with weight for height z-score of less than -2 Standard deviation from the median of WHO reference. Controls were children with z-score of greater than -2 Standard deviation. Results: A total of 144 children with 72 cases and 72 controls participated in the study. Independent risk factors which were significantly associated with malnutrition after adjusting for confounders were history of diarrhea (OR=4.20, 95% CI[1.77,9.95], children of fathers who were out of employment (OR= 5.28,95% CI[1.45,19.14]) ,and lack of a balanced diet (OR=0.11,95% CI[ 0.04,0.28]).Conclusion: Diarrhea illnesses, low social-economic status and lack of balanced diet were identified as risk factors significantly associated with malnutrition among children under the age of five presenting at Arthur Davison Children’s Hospital, Zambia. As such Mortality rate due to malnutrition may be reduced by coming up with programmes to create more job opportunities, intensive measures to combat diarrhea illnesses such as use of Oral Rehydration Therapy and educating people on how to take a balanced diet.
Authors and Affiliations
Maurice Mhango Mhango
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP525768
- DOI 10.21276/apjhs.2017.4.2.18
- Views 180
- Downloads 0
Determination of pneumonia case management and outcome in children under-five years of age at arthurdavison children’s hospital (ADCH)
Background: Pneumonia is amongst the top 10 causes of hospitalisation and mortality in children below the age of five at Arthur Davison Children’s Hospital, in Ndola, Zambia. Despite having protocols of management such a...
Synthesis and Antimicrobial evaluation of Azole Based (p-nitro Benzoic Acid) derivatives
This study includes the Synthesis of Azoles Based p-nitro Benzoic Acid Derivative. The compounds were prepared by reaction of p-nitro Benzoic Acid with thiosemicarbazide in the presence of Phosphorus oxychloride to yield...
Fibromatosis colli- pseudotumor of infancy of sternocleidomastoid ---a case report
Fibromatosis colli- pseudotumor of infancy of sternocleidomastoid is a fibromatosis of infants that involves the sternocleidomastoid muscle. It usually presents in neonates and/or infants. If diagnosed correctly & on tim...
Stability indicating simultaneous validation of hydrochlorothiazide, dihydralazine, and propranolol with thestudy of forced degradation behavior through RP-HPLC in thepharmaceutical dosage form
For the instantaneous assay of Hydrochlorothiazide, Dihydralazine and Propranolol in tablet, an easy, accurate and truthful RP-HPLC method have been developed as well as validated. Isocratic RP-HPLC method was developed...
Retinopathy with renal failure
About 1% of people with hypertension develops hypertensive crisis over some point of life period. Report a case on malignant hypertension with grade II retinopathy and renal failure. A patient with a known case of hypert...