[Underweight prevention and treatment of the young child in Mono (Benin)].

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to assess the prevention and treatment effectiveness of underweight in less than two years old children admitted in 2001 to community nutrition programme of Mono area in Benin.

METHODS

A longitudinal retrospective survey took place in 30 villages chosen at random. It concerned a sample of 1799 children. Inside of those children, during the 2001 year, when they were admitted to the programme, 1545 were without underweight, have had more than one month following visit and about them the underweight effectiveness prevention had been analyzed; the others 111 were underweighted, have had more than one month following visit and about them the underweight treatment had been assessed. The 143 other children have been followed for only one month. The prevention effectiveness had been explored by the evolution of the cumulative incidence of underweight according to the number of following visit and the underweight incidence density. The treatment effectiveness has been analysed by calculating the recovery rate and incidence density.

RESULTS

During 2001, there have been observed 10% for the underweight cumulative incidence and 51.4% for the cumulative incidence of underweight recovery. The underweight and recovery incidence density were respectively 14 cases for 1000 persons-months of following and 118 cases for 1000 persons-months of following. The children with serious underweight at their last following visit have had the number of following visits lower than those who were with moderate underweight. The recovery was arrived after two to twelve months. There was a significant increase of underweight prevalence with the increase of following visit number inside the children with a normal weight at their admission into the programme.

CONCLUSION

During the 2001 following, the underweight prevention and treatment activities of community nutrition workers have been little effectiveness. The low level of instruction of community nutrition workers, their low level of knowledge of essential community nutrition activities, their multiple tasks and the not used appropriate foods for the treatment of underweight are the possible causes of the poor performance observed.