Abstract:
Background: Repeated drought has left increasing number of children vulnerable to death. Siraro Woreda health office was estimated that 72,000 people are in need of emergency food aid.
Objective: This study is aimed at identifying associated factors contributing to children with acute malnutrition among under five children in Oromia, West Arsi Zone of Siraro Woreda.
Methods: A case control study design complemented with qualitative method was used. A total of 190 mothers of cases and 190 mothers of controls were interviewed. Quantitative data was entered in Epi Info version 3.5.3 and analyzed using SPSS version 15.0. for window. Both bivariate and multivariate analysis was used. 6-8 respondents was participated for qualitative study and thematic analysis was applied.
Results: Age was significantly associated with acute malnutrition (AOR=0.29, 95 % CI 0.14 – 0.59) and (AOR=0.29, 95 % CI 0.14 – 0.63) for the age group between 23 – 36 and 37 – 59 respectively. Only 12 (6.3%) and 49 (25.8%) of cases and control respectively were reported, they are engaged in Income Generating Activities (AOR=0.17, 95% CI 0.08 – 0.38). Health service utilization was also associated (AOR=2.34, 95% CI 1.35 – 4.03) after the effects of other significant risk factors were controlled for. Moreover improper feeding distribution due to poor economy and cultural taboos was identified during the qualitative study.
Conclusion: the nutritional status of children in Siraro woredais affected by the existing age inappropriate care, socio-economic and poor health service utilization.
Recommendation: to improve the nutritional status of children in Siraro Woreda, services should focus on awareness creation focusing on child care and or harmful traditional practice, house hold food security through integrated approach and engagement of care givers in IGA.
.......................................... Thesis available at ACIPH Library