Prevalence of Stunting among Children Aged 6–23 Months in Kemba Woreda, Southern Ethiopia: A Community Based Cross-Sectional Study

Background. Stunting is a public health problem in developing countries. Stunting (HAZ < −2 Z-score) is a major cause of disability preventing children who survive from reaching their full developmental potential. Objective. To assess stunting and associated factors among children aged 6–23 month...

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Main Authors: Eskezyiaw Agedew, Tefera Chane
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2015-01-01
Series:Advances in Public Health
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/164670
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author Eskezyiaw Agedew
Tefera Chane
author_facet Eskezyiaw Agedew
Tefera Chane
author_sort Eskezyiaw Agedew
collection DOAJ
description Background. Stunting is a public health problem in developing countries. Stunting (HAZ < −2 Z-score) is a major cause of disability preventing children who survive from reaching their full developmental potential. Objective. To assess stunting and associated factors among children aged 6–23 months in Southern Ethiopia. Methods. Community based cross-sectional study was carried out among 562 mothers who have children from 6 to 23 months in 2014/15 in Kemba district. Multivariate analyses were applied to identify predictor variables and control effect of confounding. Results. The study revealed that out of 562 children, 18.7% (95% CI (15.6–22.1)) of children were stunted. In multiple logistic regressions, boys [AOR: 2.50; 95% CI (1.60–4.01)], older mothers [AOR: 2.60; 95% CI (1.07–6.35)], mothers who have no formal education [AOR: 2.76; 95% CI (1.63–4.69)], mothers who work as daily workers [AOR: 3.06; 95% CI (1.03–9.12)] and have private work activity [AOR: 2.39; 95% CI (1.61–3.53)], mothers who have no postnatal follow-up [AOR: 1.64; 95% CI (1.05–2.55)], and maternal illness encountered after delivery [AOR: 1.56; 95% CI (1.05–2.32)] were identified as significant independent predictors of childhood stunting. Conclusion and Recommendation. A significant number of children had chronic undernutrition in critical periods. An organized effort should be made at all levels to solve the problems of chronic undernutrition (stunting) in children.
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spelling doaj-art-3b7d5659af13497fa97f2ae8a9dfae812025-02-03T06:11:27ZengWileyAdvances in Public Health2356-68682314-77842015-01-01201510.1155/2015/164670164670Prevalence of Stunting among Children Aged 6–23 Months in Kemba Woreda, Southern Ethiopia: A Community Based Cross-Sectional StudyEskezyiaw Agedew0Tefera Chane1Department of Public Health, Arba Minch University, Southern Ethiopia, EthiopiaDepartment of Public Health, Wolaita Sodo University, 251 138 Southern Ethiopia, EthiopiaBackground. Stunting is a public health problem in developing countries. Stunting (HAZ < −2 Z-score) is a major cause of disability preventing children who survive from reaching their full developmental potential. Objective. To assess stunting and associated factors among children aged 6–23 months in Southern Ethiopia. Methods. Community based cross-sectional study was carried out among 562 mothers who have children from 6 to 23 months in 2014/15 in Kemba district. Multivariate analyses were applied to identify predictor variables and control effect of confounding. Results. The study revealed that out of 562 children, 18.7% (95% CI (15.6–22.1)) of children were stunted. In multiple logistic regressions, boys [AOR: 2.50; 95% CI (1.60–4.01)], older mothers [AOR: 2.60; 95% CI (1.07–6.35)], mothers who have no formal education [AOR: 2.76; 95% CI (1.63–4.69)], mothers who work as daily workers [AOR: 3.06; 95% CI (1.03–9.12)] and have private work activity [AOR: 2.39; 95% CI (1.61–3.53)], mothers who have no postnatal follow-up [AOR: 1.64; 95% CI (1.05–2.55)], and maternal illness encountered after delivery [AOR: 1.56; 95% CI (1.05–2.32)] were identified as significant independent predictors of childhood stunting. Conclusion and Recommendation. A significant number of children had chronic undernutrition in critical periods. An organized effort should be made at all levels to solve the problems of chronic undernutrition (stunting) in children.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/164670
spellingShingle Eskezyiaw Agedew
Tefera Chane
Prevalence of Stunting among Children Aged 6–23 Months in Kemba Woreda, Southern Ethiopia: A Community Based Cross-Sectional Study
Advances in Public Health
title Prevalence of Stunting among Children Aged 6–23 Months in Kemba Woreda, Southern Ethiopia: A Community Based Cross-Sectional Study
title_full Prevalence of Stunting among Children Aged 6–23 Months in Kemba Woreda, Southern Ethiopia: A Community Based Cross-Sectional Study
title_fullStr Prevalence of Stunting among Children Aged 6–23 Months in Kemba Woreda, Southern Ethiopia: A Community Based Cross-Sectional Study
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence of Stunting among Children Aged 6–23 Months in Kemba Woreda, Southern Ethiopia: A Community Based Cross-Sectional Study
title_short Prevalence of Stunting among Children Aged 6–23 Months in Kemba Woreda, Southern Ethiopia: A Community Based Cross-Sectional Study
title_sort prevalence of stunting among children aged 6 23 months in kemba woreda southern ethiopia a community based cross sectional study
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/164670
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AT teferachane prevalenceofstuntingamongchildrenaged623monthsinkembaworedasouthernethiopiaacommunitybasedcrosssectionalstudy