Title : Determinants of malnutrition among under-five children in Biratnagar; hospital based case control study

Background: Malnutrition refers to scarcities, excesses, or imbalances in a person’s input of energy and/or nutrients. The burden of malnutrition generally occurs within the African and Asian countries of the world. About half of the preschool children are emaciated ranging from 19% in Nepal to 64% in Bangladesh. This study aimed to find out the determinants of malnutrition among under-five children of Biratnagar.

Methods: The case-control study design was used among 104 (26 cases and 78 controls) children. Case was children diagnosed as acute malnutrition admitted in Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre of Koshi Hospital. Control was (±4 months) children who arrived in paediatric OPD and MCH clinic of Koshi Hospital with normal anthropometric dimension. A non-probability purposive sampling technique was used. A semi-structured interview schedule was used to identify the determinants of malnutrition and anthropometric dimension was done for assessment of malnutrition.

Results: The possible threat factors linked in this study were father’s education level, father’s occupation, residence, socio-economic status, child’s sex, child’s birth weight and history of hospitalization within one year in a bivariate analysis. After conforming all confounders malnutrition was significantly associated with cases abiding in rural area [aOR 5.36, 95% CI (1.63-17.64)] and history of hospitalization within one year [aOR 0.18, 95% CI (0.06-0.57)].

Conclusion: The findings of this study indicated that rural residence and history of hospitalization within one year were significant predictors of childhood malnutrition.

Keywords: Case-control study, determinants, malnutrition, under-five children

I am an academician and nursing professional serving as an Assistant Professor of Child Health Nursing at the Biratnagar Nursing Campus, a constituent campus of the Tribhuvan University Institute of Medicine. I am specialized in child health nursing and clinical paediatric nursing education.

As a researcher, I am actively involved in clinical research aimed at advancing nursing practices and public health in Nepal. My interested areas include; Neonatal, Child health and Public Health Practices. My Professional contribution involves mentoring undergraduate nursing students in paediatric critical care and general ward. I also actively participate in training programs that bridge theoretical nursing concepts with real-world by Tribhuvan University.