Peer-reviewed article
Severity and Outcomes of Acute Malnutrition in Children Aged 0–59 Months at Guzara District Hospital, Herat: A Retrospective Study
Nademah Tamkin, Uttara Partap, Matthew Leming ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-sonnet-5-5This study looked back at the malnutrition treatment register of Guzara District Hospital in Herat, Afghanistan. It covered 253 children aged 0–59 months admitted between May 2020 and March 2022. Most of the children had severe acute malnutrition when they were admitted. About 42% recovered and a similar share were referred to outpatient care. Cases rose in the summer of 2021, and the authors report that younger children (under 12 months) were especially affected.
Key points
- By weight-for-height Z-score, 77.9% of children had severe acute malnutrition and 11.46% had moderate acute malnutrition.
- 14.68% of children had bilateral oedema at admission.
- Among children over 6 months with MUAC data (n = 109), 74.3% had a MUAC below 115 mm.
- Outcomes: 42.29% recovered, 41.50% were referred to outpatient care, 7.11% to inpatient care, 3.55% defaulted, and 5.53% had missing outcome data.
- Malnutrition cases increased in summer 2021. Children aged 6–59 months and those with oedema needed longer care.
Limitations
The data come from one district hospital's register, with a small sample and missing MUAC and outcome data, so the findings may not apply to Afghanistan as a whole. The study describes patterns and associations, and it cannot show causes or whether the treatment itself works.
Abstract
ABSTRACT Background and Aims Recent reports indicate a rising prevalence of acute malnutrition among children in Afghanistan. This retrospective hospital‐based study was conducted at Guzara District Hospital in Herat and aimed to investigate the severity, treatment outcomes, and monthly trends of acute malnutrition among children aged 0–59 months and potential determinants from May 2020 to March 2022. Methods For this study, the data were collected from the hospital malnutrition treatment register, a standardized logbook in which demographic, anthropometric, treatment, and outcome data of admitted children were recorded. The study included 253 children, with malnutrition severity assessed using weight‐for‐height Z ‐scores (WHZ), mid‐upper arm circumference (MUAC), and bilateral oedema. Information on age, sex, and location was also collected. In addition, treatment outcomes were obtained from the hospital registration book. WHZ, MUAC, age, sex, location, and oedema refer to characteristics recorded at baseline (admission). Group differences were analysed using Chi‐squared and Kruskal–Wallis tests, with Monte Carlo simulations for small counts. Results Results showed a high burden of severe acute malnutrition (SAM). Based on WHZ, 77.9% of children were classified as SAM, and 14.68% presented with bilateral oedema. Among children older than 6 months, and among children with available MUAC data ( n = 109), 74.3% had a MUAC < 115 mm. Moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) was identified in 11.46% using WHZ and 18.34% using MUAC. Regarding outcomes, 42.29% recovered, and 41.50% were referred to outpatient care, while 7.11% were referred to inpatient care, 3.55% defaulted, and 5.53% had missing outcome data. Treatment outcomes varied, with children aged 6–59 months and those with oedema requiring more extended care. Additionally, malnutrition cases increased in summer 2021. Conclusion This study highlights the significant burden of SAM at Guzara Hospital, especially among children under 12 months, a seasonal rise in cases, and the association between treatment outcomes and malnutrition indicators.