MALNUTRITION IN CHILDREN ADMITTED TO KARBALA PEDIATRIC TEACHING HOSPITAL: PREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS

KAREEM A. JASIM ABUSHRAYDA, ABDUL; D.CH,; MB.CHB,; C.A.B.P,

	MALNUTRITION IN CHILDREN ADMITTED TO KARBALA PEDIATRIC TEACHING HOSPITAL: PREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS
KUFA MEDICAL JOURNAL
Article 1, Volume 12, Issue 2, 2009, Pages 165-176
Authors
ABDUL KAREEM A. JASIM ABUSHRAYDA; ; ;
Abstract
Background Malnutrition is one of the most serious world health problems. In Iraq the prevalence of chronic malnutrition among children under five has reached an average of 25 %. Malnutrition is an outcome of various factors resulting from unfavorable socioeconomic circumstances. Objective: To determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of malnutrition in children less than 5 years of age admitted to Karbala Pediatric Teaching Hospital, Karbala. Methods: A prospective observational survey. All children from 6 months to 5 years of age admitted between January 1, 2006 and June 30, 2007, were screened for moderate to severe malnutrition. A total of 1357 children who met the study criteria were enrolled. Assessment of risk factors for child malnutrition was accomplished through a structured questionnaire used to interview parents and caretakers. The anthropometric measurements were assessed according to standard techniques used to calculate z-scores for weight-for-age, weight-for-height and height-for-age. As reference curve, the reference growth curves of the NCHS were used. Results: During the study period a total of 19258 children were admitted to the pediatric wards, about 12519 (65 %) of the admissions were in the age group 6 – 60 months .Of this group, 1357 (10.83 %) were moderately to severely malnourished. Overall 31.98 % of the study children were stunted, 4.347 % wasted and 22.33 % underweight for their age. Stunting is low among infants aged 6–12 months (20.09 %) while about (44 %) of all children aged 13-60 months are classified as stunted. Mothers ages bellow 20 years is a risk factor (50.27 %) of stunting. Stunting was found to be higher among children of no education (or illiterate) mothers (51.21%) compared higher education mothers (16.20%). The study reveled that (51.30%) of the study children in large house hold were stunted as compared to (14.16%) in small house hold. Prevalence of underweight among children who were mixed feeding was (64.92 %) and (45.34%) if more than 2 children under 5 in the family. Conclusion: There is a high rate of malnutrition among children admitted in Karbala teaching hospital and there are several risk factors for stunting malnutrition. Prominent risk factors include uneducated mothers, more than 2 children under 5,large house hold size, chronic illness and bottle feeding. Most of the risk factors are preventable.

Statistics Article View: 39 PDF Download: 13