Spatial data analysis of malnutrition among children under-five years in Ethiopia
Haile Mekonnen Fenta1,2, Temesgen Zewotir3, Essey Kebede Muluneh4
1Department of Statistics, College of Science, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. hailemekonnen@gmail.com.
Insights
Childhood malnutrition, measured by the composite index of anthropometric failure (CIAF), is linked to several factors in Ethiopia. Key drivers include child
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Demography
Background:
- Childhood malnutrition is a significant contributor to mortality in children under five in sub-Saharan Africa.
- The composite index of anthropometric failure (CIAF) is a critical indicator of child health.
- Understanding the risk factors and spatial distribution of CIAF is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the risk factors associated with the composite index of anthropometric failure (CIAF) in children.
- To analyze the spatial distribution of CIAF across administrative zones in Ethiopia.
- To inform public health strategies for combating childhood malnutrition.
Main Methods:
- Utilized secondary data from the Ethiopian Health and Demographic Survey (EDHS) spanning 2000, 2005, 2011, and 2016.
- Employed a generalized geo-additive mixed-effects model with Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation (INLA).
- The model incorporated a binomial family and logit link function for robust analysis.
Main Results:
- CIAF was positively associated with male gender, disease susceptibility, and multiple births.
- Conversely, CIAF was negatively associated with family wealth, parental education, urban residence, maternal employment, sanitation, media access, and later survey years.
- Significant spatial variations in CIAF levels were observed across Ethiopian administrative zones.
Conclusions:
- Key drivers of CIAF include child's gender, comorbidities, birth size, dietary diversity, birth type, residence, age, parental education, wealth, sanitation, and media exposure.
- Findings highlight the complex interplay of socioeconomic, demographic, and health factors influencing child malnutrition.
- Results provide evidence for developing targeted, data-driven programs to reduce childhood malnutrition and its associated mortality.
Background:
Childhood malnutrition is a major cause of child mortality under the age of 5 in the sub-Saharan Africa region. This study sought to identify the risk factors and spatial distribution of the composite index of anthropometric failure (CIAF).
Methods:
Secondary data from 2000, 2005, 2011, and 2016 Ethiopian Health and Demographic Survey (EDHS) were used. The generalized geo-additive mixed model was adopted via the Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation (INLA) with a binomial family and logit link function.
Results:
The CIAF status of children was found to be positively associated with the male gender, the potency of contracting a disease, and multiple births. However, it was negatively associated with family wealth quartiles, parental level of education, place of residence, unemployment status of mothers, improved sanitation, media exposure, and survey years. Moreover, the study revealed significant spatial variations on the level of CIAF among administrative zones.
Conclusions:
The generalized geo-additive mixed-effects model results identified gender of the child, presence of comorbidity, size of child at birth, dietary diversity, birth type, place of residence, age of the child, parental level of education, wealth index, sanitation facilities, and media exposure as main drivers of CIAF. The results would help decision-makers to develop and carry out target-oriented programs.
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