Department of Nutrition and Dietetics

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://repository.mu.edu.et/handle/123456789/187

Browse

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5

ASSESSMENT PREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS OF SEVERE ACUTE MALNUTRITION AMONG 6—23 MONTHS OLD CHILDREN COMMUNITY BASED CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY IN MEKONI TOWN SOUTHERN ZONE ,TIGRAY, ETHIOPIA IN 2024.
(Mekelle University, 2025-06-25) TSIGE BUZUAYEHU ABEBE
Back-ground: Severe Acute malnutrition is a nutritional deficiency resulting from either inadequate energy or protein intake or both .Children with primary severe acute malnutrition is common in developing countries as a result of inadequate food supply caused by social, economic, and environmental factors. Malnutrition remains one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality among 6-23 months children throughout the Worldwide, over 10 million children the 6 23 months age die every year from preventable and treatable illnesses despite effective health interventions. Objective: To assess the prevalence and associated factors of severe acute malnutrition among 6-23 months age children in a community based cross-- sectional study design in MEKONI town from April 2024 to June 2024. Methods: A study was conducted in a Community based Cross- sectional study among 6-23 months age children along with their mothers /care givers who live in MEKONI town, Southern Zone TIGRAY. from APRL to June 2024. The study participants was taken from the four KEBELES of selected House Holds from List of H.H registration on the hand of Health Extension Workers in MEKONI town. Study participants was selected after the sample size is proportionally allocated according to the size of 6-23 months age children found in each of the four KEBELES at least for the past 6 months before the survey. data was cleaned and entered Epi info 7 and analyzed using SPSS 27 software. Data was presented by using tables, narration, percent, frequency and graphs. Logistic regression was fitted and odds ratio 95% confidence interval (CI) with p-value less than 0.05 was used to identify factors associated with severe acute malnutrition. Result : The study revealed a 6.4% prevalence of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in a predominantly Tigray-dominated population, with 86.0% of household leaders being male. The majority of participants are single, with 61.6% earning less than 1500 ETB. The majority of children have a MUAC greater than or equal to 125 mm, indicating healthy nutritional status. Children without iron folate supplementation had higher odds of SAM compared to those who did. Conclusion and Recommendations : Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) is a prevalent issue in children, with factors such as widowed mothers, lack of iron folate supplementation, and absence of colostrum feeding significantly affecting the risk. Children not enrolled in the Outpatient Therapeutic Program are also at higher risk. To reduce SAM, community-based nutrition and viii health education initiatives, regular screening, and ensuring iron folate supplements are provided are recommended. Regular follow-ups and integration into standard maternal care services can also help reduce SAM risk.
Healthcare workers' knowledge, and practices, and associated factors in managing uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition in the Northwestern zone, Tigray, Ethiopia, 2025.
(Mekelle University, 2025-06-25) SALIH ZEINU
Introduction: Suboptimal healthcare workers’ knowledge and practices in severe acute malnutrition management contribute to preventable complications and deaths in children. Data on healthcare workers’ knowledge and practices regarding uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition (SAM) management in primary healthcare facilities within Ethiopia’s Tigray region are limited. Objective: To assess healthcare workers' knowledge and practices, and related factors in managing uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition in the Northwestern Zone of Tigray, Ethiopia, 2025. Method: A concurrent parallel mixed-methods study was conducted from March to May 2025, involving 385 healthcare workers from the selected health facilities for the quantitative component and purposively sampled participants for qualitative data. Data were collected using pretested structured questionnaires, observation checklists, and an interview guide. A multivariate logistic regression model was employed to identify factors associated with knowledge and practices based on adjusted ORs with 95% CIs and p-values less than 0.05. Thematic analysis was used for the qualitative data. Result: Only 68.05% of healthcare workers had adequate knowledge, and a mere 44.42% exhibited good practices in managing uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition. The factors positively associated with healthcare workers’ knowledge and practices included male sex (AOR=1.82, 95% CI: 1.19-2.8), 11-15 years of work experience (AOR=2.59, 95% CI: 1.09-6.18), and receiving refresher training (AOR=7.88, 95% CI: 3.89-15.97). Conversely, being a diploma nurse (AOR=0.32, 95% CI: 0.16-0.66) and the unavailability of guidelines (AOR=0.58, 95% CI: 0.38-0.87) were negatively associated. The qualitative findings further highlighted resource and infrastructure deficiencies and high workload as barriers to effective uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition management. Conclusion and recommendation: Healthcare workers’ knowledge and practices regarding uncomplicated SAM management in the Northwestern Zone of Tigray are suboptimal. Targeted interventions, including providing regular refresher training, enhancing supervision, and improving access to guidelines and essential resources, are crucial to improve the knowledge and skills of healthcare workers in managing uncomplicated SAM. Further longitudinal research is also recommended.
Magnitude and Factors Associated With Low Birth Weight in Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northern Ethiopia, 2024: A Cross-Sectional Study
(Mekelle University, 2025-09-28) Netsanet Mezgebe
Background - Internationally, low birth weight remains to be a major problem and is related with a range of short-and long-term consequences. Infants weighing less than 2,500 grams are approximately 20 times more likely to die than heavier babies. However, studies on magnitude and associated factors of low birth weight among newborns born in tertiary hospitals of Ethiopia like Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital during crisis times like war are unavailable. Objective – To assess the magnitude and identify factors associated with low birth weight among newborns born in Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (ACSH), Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia from October 2024 to December 2024. Methods –A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 279 mothers their respective newborns recruited by systematic random sampling technique. Data related to birth weight and associated factors were collected using a pre-tested, interviewer-administered structured questionnaire and checklist, developed through a review of relevant literature. The sources of data included interviews conducted with mothers, medical records, and direct anthropometric measurements. Data were collected by trained midwives. The Open Data Kit (ODK) Collect mobile application was used for data collection. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS version 27. Descriptive statistics like frequency, percent, measure of central tendency, and measure of dispersion were employed to describe characteristics of the participants. In addition, A multivariable logistic regression was fitted to identify factors associated with low birth weight and explain the association using odds ratio with its 95% confidence interval. Statistical significance was considered at p<0.05. Result: The mean age of the women was 28.8 years. The magnitude of low birth weight in this study was 23.7%. The adjusted odds of low birth weight were 5.5 times higher among pregnant women with a MUAC of less than 23 cm (AOR=5.5; 95% CI: 2.2 to 13.4) compared to those with a MUAC of 23 cm or more. The adjusted odds of low birth weight were 11.6 times higher among pregnant women who gained less than 10 kg (AOR=11.6; 95% CI: 3.2 to 42.3) during pregnancy compared to those who gained 10 kg or more. Lastly, the adjusted odds of low birth weight were 2.5 times higher among women living in food-insecure households (AOR=2.5; 95% CI: 1.1 to 5.9) compared to those in food-secure households. Conclusion and recommendation: The present study revealed that recent Tigray war has significantly increased the magnitude of low birth weight (LBW) compared to the pre-war status. The magnitude of LBW is remarkably higher among women with a mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) below 23 cm (with malnutrition), those with small weight gain during pregnancy, and women living in food-insecure households. Nutritional screening during pregnancy, nutritional counseling, targeted nutritional support and micronutrient supplementation, and awareness campaigns on the importance of maternal nutrition should be implemented to reduce the occurrence of LBW, especially in war-affected areas like Tigray.
PREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS OF CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF VITAMIN -A DEFICIENCY(BITOT’S SPOT AND NIGHT BLINDNESS) AMONG PRESCHOOL CHILDREN IN ENDAMOHONI RURAL DISTRICTS, SOUTHERN TIGRAY, ETHIOPIA, CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY, 2024
(Mekelle University, 2025-06-25) YEMANE GITET
Background Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) remains a significant public health issue, particularly among preschool children in low-income countries. In Ethiopia, despite national efforts to address micronutrient deficiencies, clinical signs of VAD—such as night blindness and Bitot’s spots— persist, especially in rural communities. However, existing research has largely focused on biochemical assessments or national-level data, with limited attention to the clinical presentation and contextual risk factors of VAD in rural districts. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of clinical Vitamin A deficiency and its associated factors among preschool-aged children in a rural district of Southern Tigray, Endamokoni wereda, where local evidence is scarce and the problem remains poorly addressed. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 609 preschool children of Endamohoni District Southern Tigrai, from August to October, 2024. A multi-stage sampling, followed by a systematic sampling technique was employed to select study participants. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Quantitative data were entered using Epi Data statistical software and analysed by using SPSS version 20 statistical software package.Using a descriptive, binary logistic regression model and multivariable analysis was fitted to identify the associated factors of vitamin-A deficiency. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95 % confidence interval was computed to assess the strength of the association, and variables with a p value of <0.25 in binarylogistic regression model and <0.05 in multivariable analysis were considered as statistically significant. Results Six hundred nine preschool children were included in the study, The overall prevalence of Clinical vitamin A deficiency was 3.3%,and prevalence of Bitot’s spot and night blindness was 1.8% and 1.5%, respectively. The result of the multivariable analysis revealed that Children aged 12–35 months are at the highest risk of Vitamin A deficiency(AOR = 56.028 (95% CI: 2.545 – 1233.445, p = 0.011) , followed by those aged 36–47 months(AOR = 20.120 (95% CI: 1.706 – 237.224, p = 0.017), when compared to older preschool children (48–72 months). Both groups are statistically significant predictors of VAD in the multivariate model, indicating that younger preschool children are more vulnerable to Vitamin A deficiency. Children who had both diarrhea and respiratory infections were found to have significantly higher odds of Vitamin A deficiency (AOR = 10.001; 95% CI: 0.000–20.604; p = 0.035). However, the extremely wide confidence interval indicates considerable uncertainty in the estimate, likely due to a small sample size or sparse data. Mothers who had experienced stillb irth had significantly lower odds of having a child with Vitamin A deficiency compared to those who had not (AOR = 0.142; 95% CI: 0.023–0.867; p = 0.034). Conclusions Based on WHO thresholds, the overall finding indicates that clinical vitamin A deficiency is a severe public health problem in the population studied. All three indicators — clinical VAD (3.3%), Bitot’s spots (1.8%), and night blindness (1.5%) — exceed the WHO cutoff of 1%, which classifies the situation as severe and requiring urgent public health intervention, and is associated with age of the child,a child with diarrhea and respiratory tract infection and a mother who had experienced still birth which could be used to target interventions to further reduce existing VAD. Overall, the findings highlight the need for targeted nutritional interventions among younger children and those with frequent infections in rural settings. Further strengthening antenatal and postnatal care utilization and giving emphasis to preschool children will help to mitigate vitamin A deficiency in the study area.
Prevalence of unhealthy food consumption and its associated factors among children aged 6-23 months in Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia 2025: community based cross sectional study
(Mekelle University, 2025-06-17) Tahguas Kahsay
Background: Unhealthy food consumption among children aged 6–23 months is a growing public health concern, contributing to nutrient inadequacy and increased risk of chronic diseases later in life. In Ethiopia, particularly in post-war Tigray, Little attention has been given to this issue, and no prior assessments exist. Therefore this study aimed to determine the prevalence of unhealthy food consumption and its associated factors among children in Mekelle, Tigray. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 587 children aged 6–23 months in Mekelle. Participants were selected using a multistage sampling technique, and data were collected via mobile tools/KOBO collect by trained health professionals. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 27, employing descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression to identify factors associated with unhealthy food consumption. Variables with a p-value <0.25 in bivariate analysis were included in multivariate analysis. Statistical significance was declared at p<0.05. Results: The prevalence of unhealthy food consumption was 64.7%. the significant predictor for unhealthy food intake were maternal marital status (AOR=2.22, 95% CI: 1.03–4.77), maternal educational status(AOR=2.2, 95% CI: 1.185-4.174), Mothers aged 15–24 years (AOR=2.7, 95% CI: 1.17–6.22), family size (AOR=1.7, 95%CI= 1.050- 2.630), Children aged 18–23 months (AOR=5.9, 95% CI: 3.26–10.67), Male children (AOR=2.72, 95% CI: 1.75–4.25), and mothers who did not receive child feeding information during postnatal care (AOR=1.02, 95% CI: 2.81–10.20). Conclusion and Recommendations: Nearly two-thirds of children aged 6–23 months in Mekelle consume unhealthy foods. factors significantly associated were maternal age and marital status, maternal education, child’s age and sex, family size, and lack of postnatal feeding counseling. Targeted interventions should focus on young mothers, mothers of lower education and divorced mothers, large families, older infants and strengthening postnatal nutritional counseling.