UNDER NUTRITION AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG ADOLESCENT GIRLS ATTENDING GOVERNMENT HIGH SCHOOLS IN DIRE DAWA ADMINSTRATION, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Evidence showed that adolescent undernutrition is a serious public health problem in developing countries including Ethiopia. Adolescence period is the last chance for curbing the consequences of undernutrition and breaking the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition and poor health. This study aimed to assess the magnitude of under nutrition and associated factors among adolescent girls attending government high schools in Dire Dawa Administration. Objective: To assess the magnitude of under nutrition and associated factors among adolescent girls attending government high schools in Dire Dawa Administration, Eastern Ethiopia, from June 20 to July 20, 2021. Methods and Materials: School based cross-sectional study was conducted among 716 randomly selected adolescent girls from Dire Dawa administration, government high schools. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaire followed by anthropometric measurements. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 25 was used analysis. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence interval (CIs) were used to measure the strength of the association between variables of interest P-value <0.05 was used to declare statistical significance. Results: The magnitude of thinness and stunting was 10.2% (95% CI: 7.8%-12.5%), and 5.6% (95% CI: 3.8%-7.3%) respectively. Early adolescent school girls (AOR=0.014, 95% CI: 0.005- 0.037), Female headed households (AOR=0.26, 95% CI: 0.07-0.91), using an unimproved water source for drinking (AOR=8.38, 95% CI: 3.57-20.84) and availability of sources of drinking water in the compound (AOR=0.13, 95% CI: 0.05-0.33), not smoking cigarette (AOR=0.24, 95% CI: 0.06- 0.90), school adolescent girls from mother’s occupation is house wife (AOR = 3.67, 95% CI: 1.05- 12.76) were significantly associated with stunting. Whereas, using spring as sources of drinking water (AOR = 7.91; 95% CI: 2.67-23.41), not having latrine in the compound (AOR = 4.66; 95% CI: 1.34-16.25), washing hand using soap (AOR = 0.08; 95% CI: 0.05-0.14), food in-secured households’ status (AOR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.23-0.79) was significantly associated with thinness. Conclusions: The magnitude of thinness and stunting was moderate compaired to other similar studies in other areas. Early adolescent school girls, being from female headed households, availability of sources of drinking water, not smoking cigarette, mother’s occupational status, not having latrine, washing hand using soap, food in-secured households were significantly associated with stunting and thinness. Thus, proper sanitation and hygienic practices need to be enhanced. Moreover, educating adolescent school girls on the advantages of maintaining hygienic practices at critical times is valuable in improving the nutritional status of adolescent school girls