DETERMINANTS OF ACUTE MALNUTRITION AMONG UNDER-FIVE CHILDREN IN  KARAT  TOWN  PUBLIC  HEALTH  FACILTIES, KONSO  DISTRICT,  SOUTHERN  ETHIOPIA: A CASE CONTROL STUDY
Creators: name: ABEBAW MISKIR
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2014

description: Background: Acute malnutrition is usually the result of a combination of inadequate dietary intake and 
infection. It is a third most risk factor for death of under-five years of age children in the world. Acute 
malnutrition among  children under-five years  of  age is a long  last  problem  in  most  areas  of Ethiopia 
including  the  study  area,  Konso.  Despite,  this  study  was  aimed to  identify  determinants  of  acute 
malnutrition in Karat town of Konso district which is consistent (regular) in the study area.
Objective: To identify  determinants  of  acute  malnutrition  among under-five children  in  Karat district 
hospital and Karat health center, Southern Ethiopia 2015/16.
Methods: Institutional based case control study was conducted at Karat district general Hospital and Karat 
Health Center among under-five children who were malnourished and well nourished babies visit in the 
public health facilities during the study period. Data were collected from March 28 to May 13, 2016 using 
structured interview for mothers, and anthropometric measurement of children. A sample of 343 with 114 
cases  and  229  controls  with  case  to  control ratio  of 1:2, respectively, were  taken  at  the  public  health 
facilities. A binary logistic regression and multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine 
the predictors of acute malnutrition.  
Results:  Multivariate  logistic  regression analysis revealed  that  acute  malnutrition  was  associated  with: 
mothers  those  who  had  no  formal  education  AOR,  4.70(1.23,  10.20)  and  primary  education  AOR, 
3.01(1.18, 6.74) times  more likely their child to develop AMN compared to 2
0
and above; children of 
mothers who were (single, widowed or divorced), AOR 3.33(1.52, 14.66) times more likely their child to 
developed AMN than married, family size of five and above, AOR 2.28(1.04, 8.22) times more likely to 
developed  AMN  compared  to  less  than  three,  joint  decision  on  household consumption, AOR 
0.26(0.07,0.96) times less likely to developed AMN compared to wife decision alone, water source for 
drinking from river, AOR 5.61(2.04,27.03) and from spring AOR 2.63(1.01,12.22) times more likely to 
developed AMN than pipeline, duration of child breast feeding below 12 months, AOR 3.02(1.57,23.04)
times more likely to developed AMN compared to 24 and above, dietary diversity of less than or equal to 
three food groups, AOR 5.13(1.56,16.84) times more likely to developed AMN than consumed more than 
four food groups and children who had diarrhea illness for the last two weeks prior to data collection, 
were AOR 8.41(4.03,27.26) times more likely to develop AMN compared to their counterpart.
Conclusion  and  recommendation: The finding  of  this  study revealed  that maternal  education,  marital 
status,  family  size,  drinking  water  source,  and  separate  decision  on  money,  duration  of  breast feeding, 
dietary  diversity  and  diarrhea  were  determinants  of  acute  malnutrition.  To  reduce  childhood acute 
malnutrition, due emphasis  should be  given  in  empowering  women  and  improving  the  knowledge  and 
practice of parents on appropriate infant and young child caring practices.