Maternal factors and the nutritional status of children under five years in the Asante- Akim North Municipality
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Date
2015-04-09
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Abstract
Malnutrition is among the leading cause of deaths in children below age five in the
developing countries. For MDG goal to be met, under five malnutrition is to be reduced to
the barest minimum if not eradicated. The purpose of this study was to determine the
nutritional status of children under five years and maternal factors influencing the children
nutritional status in the Asante-Akim North Municipality. The Asante-Akim North
Municipality was chosen because of increased child aneamia and mortality. In addition, the
municipality is mostly rural with low socio-economic status of the people.
The study was a community-based descriptive cross sectional design that collected data
from 322 mothers with children under age five. Also, the anthropometric data (weight,
height and age) of the children were taken. Data collections were done by the use o f
questionnaire, weighing scale, tape measure and infantometer. The questionnaire solicited
information from the mothers on child feeding practices, breastfeeding practices, child
immunization status, mother’s education among others. A multi -stage sampling technique,
comprising cluster sampling, simple random sampling and purposive sampling were used.
Frequency counts, percentage analyses, and linear logistic regression analyses were used to
determine the prevalence of under five malnutrition and the maternal factors influencing
this malnutrition. The malnutrition status of the children was determined using the WHO
Child Growth Standard 2000, 2006. The result indicated that out of 42.7% underweight
under five children, 22.7% were boys with 20% being girls. Also, of 30.3% wasted under
five children, 16.3% and 14.0% were boys and girls respectively. Moreover, out of 47.3%
stunted under five children, 25.3% were boys while 22.0% were girls.
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Logistic analyses results showed that maternal education (χ
2
= 4.07, df = 1, p = .04; OR =
.59) and income (χ
2
= 4.73, df = 1, p = .03; OR = .24) were significant in determining the
height-for -age status of the children at C.I. 95%. In addition, breastfeeding status was a
significant predictor of weight -for -age status (χ
2
= 9.44, df= 1, p = .002) at C.I. = 1.31-3.36
and height-for-age status (χ
2
= 14.34, df= 1, p = .001) at C.I. = 1.55-3.96 status but not
weight-for -height status (χ
2
= .12, df = 1, p = .92) among the children under five years.
There is a high prevalence of under five malnutrition with more boys being malnourished
than the girls. Moreover, under five malnutrition is age dependent as the under five
children grow older they turn to be malnourished more than younger ones. Moreover,
exclusive breastfeeding, income are protective factors to underweight and/or being stunted
among the under five children in Asante -Akim North Municipality. There is an urgent for
the municipal assembly, regional directorate of health and the government of Ghana to
embark on child health education among mothers in the municipality.
Description
A thesis sumbitted to the Department of Community Health,
College of Health Sciences in partial fulfilment of the
requirements for the degree of Masters of Public Health in
Health Education and Promotion,