Peer-reviewed article
Nursing Evaluation of Nutritional Status Using the Subjective Global Nutritional Assessment in Orphanage Children: Cross-sectional design
Qasim Kadhim, Enas Ahmed Abdel Karim ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-sonnet-5-5This study assessed the nutritional status of 40 orphanage children aged 3 to 6 years in Karbala City, Iraq. Nurses used the Subjective Global Nutritional Assessment tool in a one-time cross-sectional survey. Most children had some degree of malnutrition, most commonly mild. Age was linked to nutritional status, but gender was not. The authors recommend early nutritional screening and nursing interventions in institutional settings.
Key points
- 62.5% of the children were aged 3–4 years and 55% were female.
- 57.5% of children had mild malnutrition.
- 25% had moderate malnutrition and 5% had severe malnutrition.
- A significant association was found between age and nutritional status (p < 0.05).
- No significant association was found between gender and nutritional status.
Limitations
The sample is very small (40 children), purposively chosen, and from one city, so results cannot be generalised. The cross-sectional design cannot show causes or change over time, and no intervention was tested.
Abstract
Background: Nutritional problems among orphaned children remain an important public health concern, particularly in institutional settings where children may experience inadequate dietary intake and poor health monitoring. Nurses play a critical role in the assessment and management of nutritional status among vulnerable children(1). Aim: To assess the nutritional status of orphanage children using the Subjective Global Nutritional Assessment (SGNA) tool in Karbala City. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 40 orphanage children aged 3–6 years in Karbala City. A purposive sample was used. Data were collected using two instruments: a demographic questionnaire and the Subjective Global Nutritional Assessment tool. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 26.0 through descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The findings showed that 62.5% of children were aged 3–4 years and 55% were female. According to the SGNA evaluation, 57.5% of children had mild malnutrition, 25% had moderate malnutrition, and 5% had severe malnutrition. A significant association was found between age and nutritional status (p < 0.05), whereas no significant association was found between gender and nutritional status. Conclusion: Mild malnutrition was common among orphanage children. Early nutritional screening and nursing interventions are necessary to improve children’s nutritional health in institutional settings.