Abstract:
Background: Acute malnutrition continues to be a major global public health problem, affecting
an estimated 51.5 million children aged under five years and being associated with 12.6% of all
under five child mortality. For every severe acute malnutrition, there will be eight moderate
cases. However, there is no study that has assessed the time recovery of moderate acute
malnutrition and its associated factors in Ethiopia, particularly in the study area. Objective: This
study aimed to assess the time to recovery from moderate acute malnutrition and associated
factors among 6- to 59-month-old children targeted for supplementary feeding in Chiro Woreda,
West Hararghe Zone, Eastern Ethiopia, from July 01 to 20/2023.Methods: A retrospective
cohort study design was conducted on 341 of children aged 6–59 months selected by systematic
sampling technique. Data was collected using a structured, pre-tested questionnaire. The data
was cleaned, coded, entered into Epi-data 3.1 software, and transferred and analyzed using
SPSS computer software version 20. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to estimate the
recovery rate. A Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to determine the
association between the independent and the outcome variables. Finally, a variable with a P value <0.05 in the multivariate Cox regression model was considered statistically significant.
Results: An overall recovery rate was 73.8% (95% CI: 69.3–78.7%) with a median time to
recovery of 16 weeks among acute malnutrition was included in this study. Factors such as being
between the ages of 24 and 59 months (AHR = 1.31, 95%CI: 1.02–1.70), being new at admission
(AHR = 1.76, 95%CI: 1.15–2.69), walking for an hour or less to receive (AHR = 1.31, 95%CI:
1.01–1.70), having regular treatment follow-ups (AHR = 2.09, 95%CI: 1.42–3.07) and having
access to transportation (AHR=1.48; 95% CI: 1.13-1.95) were found to be significant factors of
time to recovery. Conclusion: This study pointed out that the proportion of recovery from
moderate acute malnutrition was relatively low. Factors such as ages between 24 and 59 months,
being a new at admission, walking for an hour or less to receive services, regular treatment
follow-ups, transportation access, and latrine availability were predictors of time to recovery.
Therefore, we advise suitable and sufficient regular follow-up and accessible targeted
supplementary feeding and improve the treatment outcomes and mortality and morbidity
associated with moderate acute malnutrition.
