Peer-reviewed article
Prevalence of undernutrition and its associated factors among orphans aged 6-59 months in Nekemte town, Ethiopia.
Werku Etafa, Fayera Abdana, Emebet Bobo, Wandimu Muche Mekonen, Dawit Tesfaye Daka et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study measured undernutrition among 373 orphaned children aged 6-59 months in Nekemte town, Ethiopia. Stunting affected 37.3% of children, wasting 28.7%, and being underweight 24.4%. Key risk factors included incomplete vaccination, lack of caregiver nutrition knowledge, informal care arrangements, and early introduction of additional foods. The researchers recommend improving healthcare worker training on child feeding practices and vitamin A supplementation, and strengthening legal oversight of orphan care.
Key points
- 37.3% of orphans were stunted, 28.7% were wasted, and 24.4% were underweight
- Children aged 6-23 months had higher risk of wasting (AOR = 2.76)
- Incomplete vaccination status was strongly associated with wasting (AOR = 3.53)
- Caregivers lacking nutrition knowledge were more likely to have underweight children (AOR = 1.82)
- Informal caregiving arrangements (not through legal process) increased stunting risk (AOR = 1.74)
Limitations
This is a cross-sectional study, so it cannot establish causation, only associations between factors and undernutrition. The findings apply only to orphans in Nekemte town and may not represent other settings in Ethiopia or elsewhere.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Undernutrition is a leading cause of childhood mortality in low-income countries. Orphaned children are particularly vulnerable due to the absence of parental care and support, as well as factors such as infection and poor feeding practices. Undernutrition is often associated with developmental delays and recurrent infections. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of undernutrition and its associated factors among orphaned children aged 6-59 months in Nekemte town, Ethiopia. METHODS: This study employed a cross-sectional, community-based study collected data through interviewer-administered questionnaires and anthropometric measurements. A total of 373 orphans paired with caregivers were selected using a simple random sampling technique from first June to July 30, 2023. Data were coded and entered into Epi Data V.4.6, and SPSS version 25 was used for analysis. Anthropometric indices were measured using the WHO ENA Software. Both binary and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted with a 95% confidence interval to identify factors associated with undernutrition, considering a significance level of p < 0.05. RESULTS: The prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight in the studied population was 37.3% (95% CI: 32.4-41.8), 28.7% (95% CI: 23.6-33.2), and 24.4% (95% CI: 20.1-28.9), respectively. Factors associated with stunting included caregivers who obtained the child not through a legal process (AOR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.06-2.86) and children who did not receive vitamin A in the last six months (AOR = 0.59, 95%CI: 0.371-0.94). For wasting, significant associations were found with orphans aged 6-23 months (AOR = 2.76, 95%CI: 1.27-6.02), those receiving treatment (AOR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.26-0.76), incomplete vaccination status (AOR = 3.53, 95% CI: 1.65-7.04), and caregivers lacking information about nutrition for children under five (AOR = 1.82, 95%CI: 1.08-3.06). Additionally, orphans who began consuming additional food before six months of age (AOR = 2.76, 95%CI: 1.27-6.02) and those with caregivers who were government employees (AOR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.07-3.34) were more likely to be underweight. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of undernutrition among orphaned children is high in Nekemte town. It is crucial to improve the knowledge and communication skills of healthcare workers and caregivers regarding infant and young child feeding practices and vitamin A supplementation for children under five years of age. Additionally, improving the supervision of orphans by legal bodies is essential for better health outcomes.