PREVALENCE OF WASTING, UNDERWEIGHT, STUNTING AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG CHILDREN AGED 6-23 MONTHS IN TULLO WOREDA, WEST HARARGHE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE , EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Background: Annually, about 10.5 million child deaths are related to under nutrition, in which 98% of these mortalities are reported in developing countries. Ethiopia is one of the countries with very high burden of under nutrition among children aged less than two years. Evidence in different parts of Ethiopian indicated that under nutrition among infant and young children is becoming public health concern. However, little was known about the magnitude of wasting, underweight, stunting and associated factors among children aged 6- 23months in Tullo Woreda. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of wasting, underweight, stunting and associated factors among children aged 6 -23 months in Tullo Woreda, Eastern Ethiopia Methods: Community based cross sectional study design was used among randomly selected 384 infants and young children of aged 6-23 months from February 15/6/2018 to March 30 /7/2018 in Tullo woreda . Data on socio-demographic characteristics, maternal health service utilization, maternal anemia , infants and young children feeding practice and health status of children were collected using interviewer administered pre-tested structured questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements (weight and height) of mothers and their children were taken to assess wasting, underweight and stunting. Maternal hemoglobin level was examined using Hemo Cue Hb 301 to assess anemia. Nutritional indices data were generated using World Health Organization Anthro version 3.2.2 software. Data were edited, coded and entered into Epi-data computer software version 3.1 and then exported to SPSS version 20 for statistical analysis. Bivariable logistic regression analyses were carried out to see association between each independent variable and dependent variables. Multivariate logistic regression was done to control all possible confounders and to identify independent predictors of under nutrition. Odd ratio along with 95% confidence interval was estimated to measure strength of association and level of statistical significance was declared at p value less or equal to 0.05. Result: This study indicated that (17.4%) 95% CI: (13.7, 21.4) were wasted, (22.9%) 95% CI: (21.3, 30.3) were underweighted and (25.5%) 95%CI: (18.5, 26.9) were stunted respectively. Wasting was reduced by 81% among children from male headed households [(AOR=0.19%, 95%CI: (0.037, 0.997)]. Moreover, stunting was reduced by 89% [(AOR=0.11,95% CI :(0.028,0.456)] among children born at two years and above age interval and increased by 4.4 more times among children of mothers aged 25 to 34 years [(AOR=4.4,95%CI:(1.18, 17.03)] and 5.4 more times among children of mothers aged 35 to 49 years [(AOR=5.4,95%CI:(1.17, 24.6)] respectively than children of mothers aged 15 to 24 years Conclusion: The finding of this study showed high prevalence of wasting, underweight and stunting among children aged 6-23months in the study area. Female headed households were signifantly associated both with underweight and wasting and birth interval was also significantly associated with stunting and underweight. Therefore, supporting female headed households and promoting optimal birth spacing (interval) to improve child nutritional status