Woldesenbet Biruk, Tolcha Alemu, Tsegaye Berhan
Department of Environmental Health Science, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
Department of Midwifery, College of Medicine and Health science, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
BMC Nutr. 2023 Jan 23;9(1):17. doi: 10.1186/s40795-023-00677-1.
Stunting among children of ages 24-59 months is a major public health challenge in developing countries. It has been linked with poor water quality, water accessibility, a lack of environmental sanitation, and personal hygiene (WASH) practices, particularly in food-insecure areas. Stunting occurs during certain seasons in food-insecure settings. Therefore, a complete understanding of risk factors is the first step in the development of a preventive strategy. However, information is scarce about the prevalence and factors associated with stunting among children of ages 24-59 months in these settings.
This study aimed to assess the prevalence of and factors associated with stunting among children aged 24-59 months in Lemo district, south Ethiopia, in 2021.
A community based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1-30/2021. Data were collected from a total of 415 randomly selected children and mother /guardian/. Logistic regression analysis was done to identify factors associated with childhood stunting. In binary logistic regression analysis, independent variables with p-value < 0.25 were fitted into multivariable logistic regression analysis to explore final predictors of stunting/ thinness/. Independent variables with AOR and 95% CI and P-value < 0.05 was computed and reported as predictors of stunting among children in this study.
From a total of 450 children, only 415 were included in the final analysis, making a response rate of 92.2%. The prevalence of stunting among children was 33.5% (95% CI: 30.4 and 36.6%) in this study. Children ages 48-59 months (AOR = 2.8, 95% CI: 2.1, 12.1), children ages 36-47 months (AOR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1, 7.1), children of uneducated women (AOR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.5, 4.2), children who lived near unimproved toilets (AOR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.2, 2.6), children whose feces was disposed of unsafely (AOR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.57, 5.31), and children whose mothers did not wash their hands before feeding their children (AOR = 6.2, 95% CI: 2.0, 19.1) were factors positively associated with stunting among children aged 24 months to 59 months.
The prevalence of stunting is high compared with the national prevalence of stunting in food insecure areas. Policy makers, local leaders, and community health extension workers should enhance environmental sanitation and create awareness about personal hygiene. Furthermore, improved toilet construction and appropriate utilization should be encouraged. Furthermore, the local government should work to improve the socio-economic status of poor households.
24至59个月大儿童的发育迟缓是发展中国家面临的一项重大公共卫生挑战。它与水质差、用水不便、缺乏环境卫生和个人卫生（水、环境卫生和个人卫生）习惯有关，特别是在粮食不安全地区。在粮食不安全环境中，发育迟缓在某些季节出现。因此，全面了解风险因素是制定预防策略的第一步。然而，关于这些环境中24至59个月大儿童发育迟缓的患病率及相关因素的信息却很匮乏。
本研究旨在评估2021年埃塞俄比亚南部莱莫区24至59个月大儿童发育迟缓的患病率及相关因素。
于2021年1月1日至30日进行了一项基于社区的横断面研究。共从415名随机选取的儿童及其母亲/监护人处收集了数据。进行逻辑回归分析以确定与儿童发育迟缓相关的因素。在二元逻辑回归分析中，将p值<0.25的自变量纳入多变量逻辑回归分析，以探索发育迟缓/消瘦的最终预测因素。计算得出比值比（AOR）、95%置信区间（CI）且p值<0.05的自变量被作为本研究中儿童发育迟缓的预测因素进行报告。
在总共450名儿童中，最终分析仅纳入了415名，回复率为92.2%。本研究中儿童发育迟缓的患病率为33.5%（95%CI：30.4%和36.6%）。48至59个月大的儿童（AOR = 2.8，95%CI：2.1，12.1）、36至47个月大的儿童（AOR = 1.6，95%CI：1.1，7.1）、母亲未受过教育的儿童（AOR = 1.8，95%CI：1.5，4.2）、居住在未改善厕所附近的儿童（AOR = 1.7，95%CI：1.2，2.6）、粪便处理不安全的儿童（AOR = 2.8，95%CI：1.57，5.31）以及母亲在喂孩子前不洗手的儿童（AOR = 6.2，95%CI：2.0，19.1）是24至59个月大儿童发育迟缓的正相关因素。
与粮食不安全地区的国家发育迟缓患病率相比，该地区发育迟缓患病率较高。政策制定者、地方领导人和社区卫生推广工作者应加强环境卫生并提高个人卫生意识。此外，应鼓励改善厕所建设和合理使用。此外，地方政府应努力提高贫困家庭的社会经济地位。
