Magnitude of Stunting and its Determinants among Children Aged 06-59 Months in Semen Bench Woreda, Genja District-A Community Based Cross-Sectional Study in South West Ethiopia, 2017

Abstract

Background: Children are most vulnerable to stunting in developing countries because of inadequate health services, poor water and sanitation, poor maternal and child care practices and insufficient access to food. Malnutrition in Ethiopia, in the form of stunting is higher than other forms of malnutrition among under five children. Objective: To assess magnitude of stunting and its determinants among children aged 06-59 Months in Semen Bench Woreda, Genja District, South West Ethiopia. Methods: A Community based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 7 to May 28, 2017 in Genja district, southwest Ethiopia. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and measuring height of children. Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were used using SPSS version 21 software to see the relevant associations. Descriptive statistics, binary and multivariable logistic regressions were done to identify factors associated with. P<0.05 were used to declare statistical significance. Anthropometric data were also converted into indices of nutritional status using Emergency Nutrition Assessment (ENA) for SMART. Results: A total of 309 households were included in the study giving the response rate 100%. The prevalence of stunting among children 6-59 month in Genja district was 23%. From its 3.6% of them were severely stunted whereas 19.4% was moderately stunted. In multivariate analysis income and history of diarrhea were independent predictors of stunting with p- value <0.05. Children who had no history of diarrhea in the past had 0.6 lower odds of stunting than their counterpart (AOR=0.63, (CI; 1.03, 3.44)) and also children’s whose family had income between 500-1000 had 0.8 lower odds off stunting than their counterpart (AOR=0.84, (CI; 0.2, 0.92)). Conclusion and recommendation: Prevalence of stunting among children aged 6-59 months was to some extent high in contrast to other studies and government plan. Thus, it is indispensable to strengthen health promotion actions and social, educational and income-generating investments for preventing and fighting these nutritional ailments, which are still significantly present in this study area.