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Malnutrition and anaemia among hospitalised children in Vavuniya

J Keerthiwansa1, S Gajealan, S Sivaraja

  • 1General Hospital, Vavuniya, Sri Lanka. janaki_kee@yahoo.com.

The Ceylon Medical Journal
|January 6, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Social determinants like lower parental education and income significantly impact severe malnutrition and anemia in hospitalized children. These factors are crucial for understanding child health outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Nutrition Science

Background:

  • Childhood malnutrition remains a significant global health challenge.
  • Understanding the social determinants of malnutrition is crucial for effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe factors associated with the degree of malnutrition among hospitalized children.
  • To assess the prevalence and associated factors of anemia in malnourished children.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional descriptive study conducted at General Hospital, Vavuniya.
  • Screening of 1210 hospitalized children (Jan-June 2012) for nutritional status using WHO growth standards.
  • Assessment of anemia prevalence in 284 malnourished children.

Main Results:

  • Prevalence of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) was 14.8% (n=179) and severe acute malnutrition (SAM) was 8.7% (n=105).
  • SAM was significantly associated with lower maternal and paternal education, low family income, and mothers being housewives.
  • Anemia prevalence was 55.3% (mild 32.4%, moderate 22.2%, severe 0.7%), highest in infants.

Conclusions:

  • Social determinants play a critical role in the degree of malnutrition and anemia in hospitalized children.
  • Interventions should address socioeconomic factors to reduce the burden of malnutrition and anemia.

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