Abstract:
Tuberculosis is one of the top ten causes of illness, death, and disability
throughout the world. Tuberculosis makes undernutrition worse and undernutrition weakens
immunity, thereby increases the likelihood that latent tuberculosis would develop into active
tuberculosis. Undernutrition is a common factor in the progression of many diseases The body of
a person suffering from TB has an increased demand for energy, which often causes a TB patient
to lose a significant amount of weight and this can worsen acute undernutrition.
Objective: To assess magnitude and associated factors of undernutrition among adult TB patients in
public health facilities in Haramaya district, eastern Ethiopia from January 10 to February 20, 2021
Methods: Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected adult
tuberculosis patients on follow-up in public health facility of Haramaya District, eastern
Ethiopia. Data were collected using a pretested-structured questionnaire through face-to-face
interview followed by anthropometric measurements. Data were entered using EpiData 3.1 and
analyzed using SPSS 24. Binary and multiple logistic regression model was fitted to identify
factors associated with undernutrition. Adjusted Odds ratios (AOR) along with (95% CI) was
used to report association and statistical significance was declared at p <0.05.
Results: Of 332 invited patients, 330 patients participated in the study. A total of 144 patients
43.6% (95% CI: 38.2%-49.1%) have undernutrition. Proportion of severe, moderate and mild
undernutrition was 11.8%, 12.4%, and 19.4%, respectively. Age of 18-24 years (AOR=4.12; 95%
CI 1.36-12.51), no formal education (AOR=1.76; 95% CI 1.01-3.08), large family size (AOR=2.62;
95% CI 1.43-4.82), low individual dietary diversity (AOR=2.96; 95% CI 1.75-4.99), lack of latrine
(AOR=2.14; 95% CI 1.26-3.65), history of TB treatment (AOR=2.56; 95% CI 1.19-5.54) and
taking intensive phase of anti-TB drugs (AOR=3.18; 95% CI 1.62-6.25) were factors significantly
associated with under nutrition among adult TB patients.
Conclusions: The prevalence of undernutrition was high. Age of 18-24 years, no formal
education, large family size, low individual dietary diversity, lack of toilet facility, history of
tuberculosis medication and taking an intensive phase of anti-TB drugs significantly associated
with undernutrition among adult TB patients. The nutritional derangement could call for fast
nutritional intervention in the management of pulmonary tuberculosis patients
