Health Sciences and Medicine College, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia.
International Maternal and Child Health (IMCH), Department of Women's and Children's Health, SE-751 85 Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
BMC Public Health. 2018 May 24;18(1):653. doi: 10.1186/s12889-018-5561-z.
Stunting is one of the most serious and challenging public health problems in Ethiopia, which constitute a significant obstacle to achieving better child health outcomes. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and factors associated with stunting among 6-12 years old children in Humbo district, Southern Ethiopia.
This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 633 children 6-12 years old living in Humbo district, Southern Ethiopia, from March to April, 2015. A multistage cluster sampling technique was used to select participants from households in eight Villages in the study area. Height was measured using standard methods and height for age Z-score was computed to assess stunting. EPI info version 3.5.4 was used for data entry, whereas Anthroplus software and SPSS version 20.0 were used for computation of height for age Z-scores and statistical analyses respectively. Simple and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine factors associated with stunting in the study sample, using 95% confidence limits (statistical significance set at p < 0.050).
Prevalence of stunting was 57%, about, 3.5% were severely stunted, 27.3% moderately stunted and 26.4% mildly stunted, and the mean (SD) was - 1.1 (±1.2). About 7 (1.1%) boys and 15 (2.4%) girls were severely stunted. Age groups 10-12 years had significantly higher rate of stunting than others. Age (AOR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.1-2.6), big family size (AOR = 4.6, 95% CI = 2.2-9.5) and field disposal of wastes (AOR = 2.7, 95% CI = 1.2-5.8) were factors significantly associated with stunting.
This study exposed high rate of stunting among school age children. Stunting remains a noticeable attribute of rural school age children. Findings suggest the need to implement evidence-based school-aged rural children nutrition policy and strategies as well as need for intervention to improve domestic waste management system in the rural community.
发育迟缓是埃塞俄比亚最严重和最具挑战性的公共卫生问题之一，它是实现更好儿童健康结果的重大障碍。本研究旨在评估南部 Humbo 区 6-12 岁儿童发育迟缓的流行率及其相关因素。
这是一项横断面研究，于 2015 年 3 月至 4 月在埃塞俄比亚南部 Humbo 区的 633 名 6-12 岁儿童中进行。采用多阶段聚类抽样技术从研究地区的 8 个村庄的家庭中选择参与者。采用标准方法测量身高，计算身高年龄 Z 评分以评估发育迟缓。EPI info 版本 3.5.4 用于数据输入，而 Anthroplus 软件和 SPSS 版本 20.0 分别用于计算身高年龄 Z 评分和统计分析。使用简单和多因素逻辑回归分析，使用 95%置信区间（统计显著性设置为 p<0.050），检查研究样本中与发育迟缓相关的因素。
发育迟缓的患病率为 57%，约有 3.5%为严重发育迟缓，27.3%为中度发育迟缓，26.4%为轻度发育迟缓，平均（SD）为-1.1（±1.2）。约有 7 名（1.1%）男孩和 15 名（2.4%）女孩患有严重发育迟缓。10-12 岁年龄组的发育迟缓发生率明显高于其他年龄组。年龄（AOR=1.7，95%CI=1.1-2.6）、大家庭规模（AOR=4.6，95%CI=2.2-9.5）和田间废物处理（AOR=2.7，95%CI=1.2-5.8）是与发育迟缓显著相关的因素。
本研究揭示了学龄儿童中发育迟缓的高发生率。发育迟缓仍然是农村学龄儿童的一个显著特征。研究结果表明，需要实施基于证据的农村学龄儿童营养政策和战略，并需要干预农村社区的家庭废物管理系统。
